The Rabbit Returns to ToonTown
by Calliecature
Summary: AU of "Why Me?" 15 years after Rhoda Rabbit saw the patty-cake photos, her children wanted to meet their father. How could she even face Jesse? Cover by Rachel Ordway of CrackpotComics. M for suggested themes as read in FF's rules.
1. Prologue: An Affair to Remember

**Summary:** A Binary Swap AU of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. 15 years after Rhoda Rabbit saw the patty-cake photos, her children wanted to meet their father. How could she even face Jesse?

* * *

 **"I'd do anything for my husband, Roger…. _Anything_." –Jessica Rabbit (Who Framed Roger Rabbit, 1989)**

* * *

 **Hollywood, Paint-and-Ink Club, 1947  
**

The detective grumpily settled down on a table not far from Martha Acme. Of all the crazy tasks that she had to be assigned to, she had to be tied to a case involving an affair between a tooniphile and a toon.

All because of a CEO getting worried about her A-list toon star's performance. Who believes in ToonTown Tabloids anway?

"Edna Valiant!"

Edna turned to see Bertie Boop, a dashing toon star of the 1920s.

"Bertie? What are you doing here?"

Bertie adjusted his waiter's jacket, "Business has been kind of slow since cartoons went to color," he gave her a wink and his trademark Bertie Boop Flex, "But I still got it, Edna."

Edna smiled back, "Yeah, you still got it."

Majority of the female patrons screamed making her jump. In a semi-stampede, they rushed near the stage. On the front seats, Martha excitedly patted her hair and checked her make-up.

Edna gave Bertie a perplexed look while she jerked her head at Martha, "What's with her?"

Bertie fixed his tray on his hand, "Ms. Acme never misses a night when Jesse performs."

Edna's face became satiric as she leaned on her backrest with her arms folded.

"She has a thing for rabbits, huh?"

Silence hushed as a lone spotlight shined center stage. A clear masculine voice sang out.

 _"You have plenty suitors before you were twenty-two."_

The curtains opened and Edna's mouth dropped in surprise, her body reacting at the sight before her.

 _"But they all fall short or made a fool out of you."_

A tall, elegant toon of a man in a red tuxedo stood alone in the center. Ginger hair brushed over one emerald eye as he looks at the audience with an intensity that could burn through paper.

" _Let me do you right, unlike the way that they do."_

The women trilled, others have long swooned. A band of doves played a viscous jazz behind him, a lethargic background under the hypnotized air.

" _Come over here,"_

One woman reached up a hand to him but her knees gave way when he turned to look at her.

" _Let me show it to you."_

Edna slowly leaned to Bertie, not believing her own eyes. This was the husband of the bimbo bunny who kept hitting herself awhile ago?

"He's married to Rhoda Rabbit?" she whispered just in case there had been a mistake somewhere. The rabbit must have decided to keep her last name.

Bertie's eyes turned dreamy at the rabbit's name. "Yeah, what a lucky _goi_."

He gently tapped Edna's chin to prevent flies from entering her mouth before walking away.

Jesse walked towards the audience, a king amongst lionesses –or a meat among she-wolves. The hunger in the women's eyes were a blur of both slave and master.

" _Now if you have your wits in those years ago,"_

He knelt down to another woman who stared at him, enthralled. Jesse tipped her chin up as he smiled coolly at her.

" _You wouldn't be wond'ring 'bout your tears and woes."_

He sang as he left her to slump on her seat in a dazed manner.

" _Let me do you right,_

 _Unlike the way that they do."_

Jesse stopped at the edge of the stage, looking down at Edna and Martha. He smoothly climbed down from the stage and took Martha's hand who have flirtatiously held it out to him.

" _Come over here,"_

He gave her a look that made her sigh before he kissed her hand.

" _And let me show it to you."_

He looked at Edna who stared back in surprise.

" _Come over here,_

 _And let me show it to you."_

Before Edna could realize what's happening, Jesse had grabbed the backrest of her chair and tipped her backwards. She gasped in surprise as she found herself caged by his arm and emerald eyes.

" _Let me do you right-"_

Somewhere in the background, a woman moaned.

 _"Unlike the way that they…"_

He leaned closer and for all of her reflexes, Edna's mind became blank.

" _Do…"_

He slowly leaned her upright again as he backed away, leaving Edna feel like she had ran for miles.

* * *

The detective silently peeped over the band instruments piled in a corner. A woman in a luxurious fur coat primped at her hair before knocking delicately at the door with a gilded star on it.

"Who is it?" the rabbit's husband said from behind it.

"Jesse, darling, it's me!" Martha Acme gushed, who seemed to pose as soon as the door opened.

"You sure slayed them tonight, honey. You were incredulous, I mean it!"

Edna crept silently towards the door as soon as it closed. Acme continued to speak.

"You were truly and absolutely the cat's meow out there. You got them-"

She placed her ear closely to the door. Seeing the keyhole, she took a peep.

"-all fired up and wanting more. You whipped them into-"

Someone growled and Edna felt herself being tapped on the shoulder. Hard.

"What are you doing here, ugly?" an unwieldy gorilla bouncer snarled, her dinnerjacket threatening to burst from the seams.

Edna craned her neck to scowl all the way to her face. "Who are you calling ugly, hag-ly?"

Which might not have been the wisest decision in her part.

She momentarily reflected on her actions as she lay facedown on the trash outside the Ink-and-Paint Club.

"And don't let me catch you peepin' around here again!" the gorilla roared before slamming the door close.

She got up, cursing the menopausal butch of a gorilla under her breath. Using her acrobatic skills, she hanged herself upside-down outside Jesse's dressing room window.

"Come over here, Jesse. Come over here." Martha's voice was soft. "I got everything arranged right here on the bed."

Jesse's voice sounded tired. "Not tonight, Martha. I have a headache."

Martha's voice seemed to pout. "But Jesse, you promised!"

There was a sigh. "Oh alright. But this time, take off the hand buzzer."

Edna angled her camera to the window, careful not to be seen. She took a shot.

"Patty-cake… Patty-cake… Patty-cake, patty-cake-"

"Oh Martha."

"-patty-cake, patty-cake, patty-cake-"

"Oh Martha!"

Her eyes widened in shock when she saw what's happening inside. Martha's excited voice rang out.

"Pattycakepattycakepattycake-"

"Martha!"

"I don't believe this," Edna muttered as she takes picture after picture of the bawdy scene.

* * *

 **Hollywood, Maroon Cartoon Studios, 1947**

"Patty-cake! Patty-cake!" Rhoda Rabbit bawled miserably as she pounded the window where Acme Factory could be seen across the road.

She dropped down and slumped on Maroon's table, "This is my entire fault! I let this happen!"

Mrs. Maroon rubbed her back sympathetically, giving her own napkin. Edna watched them apathetically. It was amazing how Maroon could revert from a shrewd CEO who convinced her to accept the job to a compassionate pro-toon Mother Goose.

There are women who still look beautiful when they cry. Their eyes shimmers before a dignified tear rolls down their cheek.

Rhoda Rabbit was not one of them.

Snot and tears glistened down her face as her shoulders racked with sobs. Rhoda blew her nose with the same pitch as that of an elephant.

"I-I should have seen it coming! He'd been coming home late at night! I'd wake up and he wouldn't be there! I should have - _hic_! I should have - _hic_! I should have-"

She suddenly made a sound of a dying animal, pounding her yellow-gloved fists on the table.

Edna gaped at her as though she _was_ a dying animal. Mrs. Maroon gingerly took away her soiled napkin and threw it in the trash.

The rabbit shakily lifted herself from the table, her arms quivering with tremendous effort, "I c-can't believe it! My Jesse isn't like that! He isn't so!"

Edna rolled her eyes. _Toons,_ she thought.

"You better believe it, girl. I took the pictures myself," she held out the photos to the rabbit who looked at her like a baby seal about to be clubbed, "Your husband played patty-cake."

Rhoda desperately held the photos closed to widened eyes; looking for a trick of light, an illusion, anything! Her head whipped from side-to-side as she flipped through them like an animatronic, her ears swishing in a blur.

"No. No. No. No! No! No! No! No! No! NO! It can't be! Jesse's my husband! It's just absolutely impossible!"

She threw away the photos as she collapsed on her knees, the scandalous pictures falling around her.

"I can't believe it! I don't want to believe it!" she said, clutching herself as she rocked back and forth, "Jesse's the man of my life, the prince of my story, the knight of my chess pieces!"

It hurt Edna not to roll her eyes. There are two things she couldn't stand: toons and emotional women. Right now, this rabbit was both. She took a shot of Scotch to make her tolerate the situation.

"Well, you better start playing without one 'cause Acme got that piece now."

"It's so hard to believe it," Maroon said sympathetically, as she guided a limp Rhoda off the floor into her office chair, "Martha has been my friend and neighbour for 30 years. Who would have thought she's a couger?"

"Jesse wouldn't do this to me," Rhoda wailed weakly, her lips trembling, "Did I push him to do this? Have I been focusing too much on my career? Have I been letting myself go? Is there something wrong with me?"

Edna bit down a remark that would not end the conversation well. Instead, she just scooped away the offending photos.

 _Women,_ she thought.

Maroon soothingly rubbed her back, "Oh no, sweetie! Don't blame yourself! That Jesse is a cad! You've got no one to blame but him!"

Rhoda looked down, her eyes hollow, "Jesse isn't a cad."

 _Then what kind of a husband flirts to make a living among other things?_ Edna thought, taking another shot. At least Maroon got alcohol in her office.

"Oh, dearie. I know this is painful for you," Maroon took the Scotch out of Edna's hands and poured a shot.

"Here, girl, take this. It will make you feel better."

Rhoda blearily grabbed the shot glass and drank it straight.

The glass fell from slacked fingers. Her arms droop limply to her sides as she stood still, her head bowed.

Edna pauses in mid-drink. Alcohol always, ALWAYS have an paroxysmic effect on toons. Edna swore in surprise when Maroon suddenly grabbed her and ducked for cover.

Silence. A sob.

Then a high-pitched scream of rage burst in the room. She peeped over their hiding place. Still screaming, steam gushed out of the rabbit's ears. Her eyes shone blood-red, fire bursting from her body as she clenched her fist and bought it down in a fury of explosion.

The detective yelled in shock as dust and debris flew everywhere. Edna crouched still in their hiding place, her heart pounding. It was World War 2 again when a bombshell landed too close for comfort.

When the dust settled down, both Edna and Maroon carefully stood up to see a pile of ash where the office table used to be. The rabbit stood there panting with one smoking fist dangling uselessly on her side.

Then without warning, she collapsed out cold on the ground.

"Son of a…" Edna said, a bit breathless. Talk about a woman on her period, scorned and toony to boot.

Maroon came to Rhoda's aid, dragging her by the rabbit ears away from the disaster area, "I do apologize for this, Ms. Valiant. But Rhoda needs to let it all out."

Edna shrugged it off. She had worked with toons before.

"My job here is done. What about that carrot you owed me?"

Maroon gave her a check, "A deal's a deal," she said primly.

There was a groan and they both looked at the prone rabbit.

"Oooohh… Hangover," she moaned, holding her head as she sat up.

Rhoda sniffed, putting her face to her hands. Edna couldn't decide if she look like an abandoned puppy or the worst example of the jilted lover.

"You okay, dear?" Maroon asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. The rabbit shook her head.

"What am I going to do?" she whimpered, her eyes watering again.

Edna paused in patting her check inside her pocket.

"What are you going to do? Are you serious?" she asked incredulously.

Rhoda weakly looked up to her but then cried in surprise as the pictures slapped her across the face.

"Pull yourself together, you crazy toon!" Edna yelled, whacking her with each word.

Rhoda looked at her in shock and Edna glared at her.

"You're not the first woman whose husband cheated on her and the heck will you even be the last!"

Edna pointed a finger at her.

"You'd do what every woman who has hired me would do when I caught their men with their pants down! You're going to confront him, kick him out of the house, destroy his belongings and slap him with a divorce! You'd get over him and life goes on 'cause this ain't a cartoon!"

Maroon tried to placate her, "Ms. Valiant, I think that's a bit too early to tell her tha-"

"You're right."

Maroon looked at her with surprise.

"I should move on," Rhoda said, more to herself, "I can do this," she straightened up, "It's time to face facts, cut ties, break clean. I –I don't matter to him anymore. I'm a hard hare, I can do this."

"I mean, I'd probably never love again. I'd probably become a crazy cat lady –a crazy rabbit lady, a crazy lady rabbit cat, a rabbit cat lady crazy, a-" She shook her head.

Then her eyes cleared, "Why am I the one acting like I suffered a loss? He's the one who cheated on me! I don't deserve him! And you know what?"

She pumped her fist determinedly, her fluffy cottontail poofing up with a fight; "He made his decision when he played patty-cake and it's time I make mine!"

She slammed the door as she left the room.

A few seconds later, they suddenly heard someone wailing miserably outside the door.

Edna gave the door a withering stare, "That's her decision?"

Maroon gave a once-over at what remained of the table, "At least she took it well."

* * *

 **Hollywood, 1947**

What was she going to do?

Rhoda slid down against the door of Mrs. Maroon's office, her hands clutching her face. Her chest rose with breaths, heavy and rapid (though as a toon, she didn't have to).

Morning had been ages ago. The ToonTown Gossip Column, her messing her lines, the director's disgusted face.

Then the whole day was a confused blur of _that_ feeling eating inside her.

 _That_ feeling that something was wrong. _That_ feeling that something had happened, was happening and will happen.

But she didn't know what.

That feeling took a big chunk in one bite when the detective showed her the pictures. This must be what it feels like being shot in the chest, seeing Jesse-

She clutched her face harder, her eyes shutting tighter.

But the detective had snapped her out of her grief –slapping the photos across her face to literally knock some sense into her. Edna Valiant.

Brave words. Brave front. Edna's words had been all that she could hold on back in Maroon's office. But she broke once out of sight and here she was.

What was she going to do?

Compulsion seized her by the feet and she took off running. Where? She didn't care, it's better than-

The corridors suddenly spun and Rhoda tumbled. Her stomach heaved and her eyes desperately looked for a wastebasket.

Her stomach heaved again and she clamped her mouth shut, stumbling to the nearest trash can. Knees crashed and she clutched the rim, retching.

Her throat spasmed and she bowed her head down.

Then she retched.

Her eyes widen in disbelief and then with growing horror, when she realized it wasn't vomit.

It was bubbles.

She stared open-mouthed as they float lazily up the ceiling.

Adult toons would burp bubbles upon alcohol or soap consumption.

But Toons NEVER _barf_ bubbles, not unless they're-

Her breath hitched.

Pregnant.

 **End of Prologue**

* * *

References:  
1\. The Idea of Rhoda barfing bubbles came from the movie "Son of the Mask."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** First of all, I would like to apologized to everybody who gave their love for this story when it was still in the "Aftermath" Fanfic. Ever since I have revised it, it doesn't seem to fit as an extension story anymore and had it have it's own place. I'm really sorry if you got disappointed that this isn't a new fanfic :(


	2. A Good Mother, The Worst Ex-Wife

**France, 1962**

"Jack! What have I told you about running and jumping on tops of the buildings?" Rhoda said exasperatedly. She glanced at him at the rearview mirror.

"I can't help it, _Maman_. I'm part-rabbit!" Jack said, throwing up his arms. The car roof sounded with a thump but no one minded it. They're all used to him forgetting he's in an enclosed space –until he hit something, that is. "I need space to run in this city! _T'sais_?"

Rose sighed. Jack and their mother seemed to have their voice volume stuck on loud. If she wasn't a rabbit, she would have wondered if she's adopted.

"You're part-humanoid too! You're not as resilient if you jumped to the sky and fall 12 floors below!" their mother answered back, there was a "thwack" when her free hand hit the side door. Even if she's chastising, her voice still has that cute, squeaky pitch that Jack was tempted to mimic.

A soft touch in his arm made him look up to see Rose shook her head. It's funny how different his twin sister could be but still able to read his mind.

Grumbling, Jack folded his arms and sullenly looked at the car window. While he looked like a humanoid with rabbit ears, Rose was an anthropomorph rabbit through and through.

He glanced at the driver's seat. While their mom and his sister were anthropomorphic rabbits, the similarities stop there. Rose looked like pearls and gowns were made for her while their mother could be at home with a circus. Their mother was loud and cheery while Rose could come off as almost cold.

"I think we're going to be late," Rose remarked quietly.

Their mother sighed. Jack's ears perked up that it bent further against the car roof.

"I have an idea."

* * *

It was not a good idea.

"WOOO-HOOOOO!"

A flash of red jumped off the building and into the nothingness. The roof of a lower building rushed up to meet him and Jack landed with a concrete tremor. Before the dust could fall back again, he was off and running on the roof of another building.

"Jack, slow down!" Rhoda yelled; her arms around his shoulders.

The grin on Jack's face was invigorated as he slid down a tiled slant and bounced off. His grip on his mother and sister became a bit firmer as his blue eyes crinkled.

"No can do, Ma! Once we go down, it's momentum!"

"So is gravity!"

Rose said nothing on her sitting place which is Jack's forearm. Since she and her mother weren't that tall and Jack was all long limbs, they were quite okay being carried together on each of his arm.

Jack rushed through a fire escape and leaped, red jacket flapping. His rabbit ear gave a salute.

"Hello, ladies!"

Her emerald eyes passively glanced at the women in the balcony they have passed. Her ears cocked at the faint twitters and giggles that followed his heels.

"I think they like you," she murmured, craning to look over his shoulder.

She wouldn't deny that her brother is handsome for a humanoid –even his rabbit ears are debonair, which were sleek and streamlined like a pair of alert antennas.

Jack gave her a confused expression as he bounced off an installed flagpole like a trampoline.

"Who? Oh them?" he barked out a carefree laugh, "I already got two women in my life!"

Rose hummed in reply, but couldn't help looking down to veil the smile in her lips. Even if Jack was younger, he still felt like he had to be the "man of the house". She and their mother rarely asked him to do anything for them because they know he'd go overboard. They never let him fix another leaky pipe again when he managed to flood the house. Then there was the time the gas stove-

A familiar tune caused her brows to crease.

"Jack? Will you stop humming that nursery rhyme already?"

"What?" He hurtled the gap between two buildings.

Rose was about to elaborate on his immaturity when they both hear singing.

"-be nimble, Jack be quick-"

" _Maman_!" she protested.

Their mother shrugged with a sheepish grin, "Sorry, dear."

Rose suddenly felt herself cajoled. "Loosen up, Roses-'r-red," Jack laughed, bouncing off a tented balcony.

His bunny ears suddenly blocked an icy glare.

"Hey!" he yelled, shaking off the shards.

"I told you not to call me that," she answered calmly.

* * *

 **Hollywood, 1947**

When scared, the rabbit's first instinct is to run. But this wasn't instinct. She was scared but she had a plan.

It's been a day and Jesse hadn't come home yet.

Rhoda sighed, staring at the door.

She put the letter on the dining table. A few minutes later, she opened the door. Giving the living room one last look, she stepped outside with a suitcase in hand.

* * *

 **France, 1962**

Rose watched her brother through the mirror to see his eyes trained to a book –a rarity. Although looking at the title of the book would make it less surreal. _Tooning 101_ it simply says.

She fought the urge to roll her eyes. Humanoids, especially those drawn from rotograph, weren't capable of hammerspace. Yet Jack argues he's part-rabbit. He could run faster and jump higher than any humanoids, he'd argue, he'd still has the potential to have one if he trains properly.

Plus, they were never sure if their father was drawn from real-life (those that were so realistic, they don't defy physics) or was a toonier version of a humanoid.

"Jack?"

Sky blue eyes looked up and caught her eye through the mirror. "Hm?"

"Have you ever wondered who our father is?"

Jack rolled to his back, squishing the objects his been trying to hide in his hammerspace to no avail. "Sometimes."

"And?"

One rabbit ear swiped his ginger bangs off his eyes. "And what?"

"Don't you want to know who he is?" She turned her back to the mirror to face him, her back straight and hands clasped on her lap.

He shrugged while lying down. "That would be nice, yeah. But _Maman_ doesn't look like she wants to talk about it," he replied.

They went silent for a moment, remembering the one time they asked if they have a father. Their mom just said "He lives far, far away" then she laughed, suddenly snapping the thick carrot stick in her hands. The resounding crack and the eerie silence after prevented them from asking further.

"Anyway, why wonder?" Jack sat up, pulling his tanned cheek. "I think I got his face."

"And I, his green eyes," she murmured, turning back to the mirror.

His rabbit ears twitched. "Is that why you've been staring at the mirror lately? I've been wondering when did you get so vain."

A light, chastising slap hit him in the bicep before she turned her attention to their reflection again.

"It's just that… sometimes; she'd look at us as if she's seeing somebody else."

Same rabbit cheeks, same white fur. But her ginger hair was redder and a bit wavy unlike their mom. Then there's her humanoid twin brother…

"We're a bit like her. But we're nothing like her. It's like there's a missing piece in the puzzle."

He gave her a sidelong smirk, reading her mind.

"So what are we going to do about it?…" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"I think it's time we meet our father."

* * *

 ** ** **Hollywood, Valiant and Valiant Private Investigators Office, 1947******

Edna wasn't told she was one of the most wonderful people in the world, but she did have a better side.

It just doesn't show up in the mornings. Particularly, early mornings.

"What are you doing here?" she growled blearily. She stiffly rose up from her office desk, wiping dry spit across her cheek. She was grimy; her mouth taste like sawdust bourbon and good lawd, her hangover's not helping.

The rabbit placed a glass of water beside the detective. "I just wanna thank you."

Edna eyed the glass then glanced back at her. "For what?"

"For slapping the photos of my husband having an affair across my face –several times."

"That makes sense," Edna grunted, cricking her spine as she stood up. The room spun for a moment and Rhoda must have noticed because she steadied her arm.

"You should lie down," the rabbit remarked.

The words seem to echo and Edna remembered someone once taking care of her when she's drunk.

 _Terrie_ …

She savagely yanked her arm out of the rabbit's grasp.

"You thanked me already, you can go."

She turned her back on the rabbit to find the foldable bed already set down. Edna sat down heavily on the bed, deciding a bath could be done later.

"Bye," the rabbit said in an audible whisper, closing the door.

"Why are you doing this?"

The rabbit stopped.

"I'm the gal who took pictures of your husband," the detective continued.

The toon nodded as though she completely understand the whole situation. "But you're the one who also snapped me out of my worst."

What wasn't calloused inside Edna's chest, twinged. But just the tiniest. Maybe if Terrie hadn't died…

"Silly rabbit," she finally muttered.

The door finally clicked close and Edna nodded off, unaware that she'd be last one to see her again.

* * *

 **US/France, 1962**

Rhoda did not take it well.

Baby Hermina patiently stood there with the phone on her ear as her ex-co-star and good friend talked in one stream of a monologue. There was a padding sound on the background like rabbit feet restlessly walking from one side of the room to the other.

"What am I going to do? Dinner was supposed to be a normal evening but then they have to say that they want to meet him! Then I told them he lives there in America but Rose pointed out they can go there this summer! – _C'est n'importe quoi_! Like I'm going to let them go alone!"

Mina sighed at the strange phrases the rabbit would habitually interject here and there after 15 years of living in France. There were suddenly some thumping sounds like a forehead against the wall.

"Then they began to barter that this can be their birthday gifts and Christmas gifts for 10 years straight when they worried over the money! But that's not the point! Then they began to tell me their English is fluent, they can go! But that's not the point! They've never asked before, why do they have to ask now?"

A rapid swishing sound was heard like Rhoda shaking off the bump in her head.

"How will I even tell him?!" Then her voice snapped from panic ranting to casual ease as though writing a letter. "Hey, you probably forgot about me but you once married a rabbit. By the way you have kids and they want to see you. Cheers, Rhoda."

There was suddenly a frantic laugh and Mina could almost envision Rhoda clutching her ginger hair.

"What would I even say? Would he even be interested to meet them? What would I even tell them when they'll find out WHAT REALLY HAPPENED!?"

The line went dead for several minutes.

"Are you done?" Mina asked monotonously.

The line crackled as Rhoda sighed. "Yeah, thanks. I needed that."

"Tell them the truth."

"What?!"

"What, you expect me to tell you not to?" Mina hooked the phone against her other ear. "After what he did? They'll be turned off from meeting him, much less, hear more about him."

She could hear Rhoda exhale out of her nose.

" _Ouais, enfin_ …."

"English, please."

"Perhaps. Weeelll…."

"You don't want to tell the story?"

"It's ugly, why tell it? _T'sais_?"

"It's the truth, why keep it, t-sa-eez?"

There was another large thump and Mina knew Rhoda had agreed to her side.

* * *

 **France, 1948**

Baby Hermina did not take it well.

"ARE YOU CRAZY!?"

Rhoda sighed at the ranting toon envelope before her. The thing was up in the air, flapping it's cover like a mouth with Mina's voice.

It's funny how toons have developed their telegrams.

"You broke your contract with Maroon Cartoon Studios and moved to France?! And without telling me either!"

She wrapped her arms around herself. She couldn't. Despite being her gag partner and close friend for years, she didn't think Mina would understand.

"You just off and left! I have to hire a human to hire that damn detective to get some info! That Edna Valiant doesn't take toon cases anymore, ya know!"

She could just leave the room. But didn't she deserve this in a sense?

"Everybody got worried! We all thought it had something to do with Jesse but he just said you left! If Edna hadn't tracked down your migration papers and that marshal in charge of migrating toons, we all would have thought Jesse did something horrible-"

That made her looked up. Did she make all of them worried? Mina, Buggy and everybody that she had left behind? Did she just make everything worse? Including –she gulped- _him_?

"-everybody knows about that gossip column, Rhoda. If the rumors were true, I could have hired someone to dig up some dirt about him-"

Rhoda closed her eyes. No, she didn't want revenge. She opened her eyes when she realized everything had become silent. Then Mina spoke again, this time her heart sank, making Rhoda wished she was still hearing her angry tone.

"Why did you just write now after all these months, Rhoda? Why just now?" the enveloped asked tiredly. This was the closest Mina allowed herself to sound vulnerable. The envelope flopped back to the ground.

An infant's cry could suddenly be heard in another room and then followed by another. Rhoda zipped to the other room to hush the twins. She walked back to the room, with Jack and Rose in each of her arms. She was about to pass by the table when the envelope flew up again, the flap opening and closing.

"P.S., now that I know your address, I'm going in there. See ya."

Before Rhoda could comprehend what she heard, the door opened with a mighty slam, filling the room with foreboding light. A silhouette of a small figure stood on the doorway before Mina strode inside. Wearing her travel clothes, she tossed her furry boa over her shoulder.

"I DEMAND A FULL-" she stopped, staring at the baby bunny in Rhoda's arm. Then to the humanoid baby with rabbit ears over a patch of red hair.

Realization hit her. Her boa dropped to the floor along with her jaw.

"Fuck."

* * *

 **France, 1962**

Sometimes, he wondered if his sister should have been the humanoid toon.

He looked at the mirror, cocking his head to the side. He'd been trying to project his emotions to no avail. Rose could do it, she just didn't want to. He just wanted to do it too, because… it's cool.

His mother told him that thoughts led to the focus of emotions. He snorted, he'd been trying but there wasn't so much as a tweeting bird when he intentionally hit himself in the head. Hard. She was their small community teacher in tooning but maybe it's just not in his abilities to project.

He looked at his hands, bare of fur and large like a human. Too angled to be toony. What's more, he got five fingers in each hand. Realism, one artist had said.

His heart sank. The more realistic a humanoid was drawn, the less are the toon abilities. What's more, humanoid grawns (toons that are born and grow, not drawn) inherit that trait of realism.

How realistic was their father drawn?

But their mother could defy physics. Could stretch like rubber, bounce like a ball and project flashbacks like a movie screen. Rose could probably do it, but she wasn't that expressive. But there were times…

Their mother rarely got angry, and when she does, she'd literally fire up. Rose didn't even have to get mad. All she needed to do was get mildly annoyed and she could project coldness. Like that icy glare she'd freeze him with whenever he'd tease her.

He sighed, shrugging. Maybe it's not in his paint to project.

"Jack! Rose!"

His ears perked up at the sound of his mother's voice. The door creaked to reveal his sister. Now Rose was usually a pokerface but he could feel the excitement radiating from her when she opened the door.

" _Maman_ has something to tell about our father."

* * *

 **Hollywood, 1947**

 **CHEATED DEATH: MARTHA ACME SURVIVES HOMICIDE**

 **ToonTown Judge Arrested**

 _Founder and CEO of ACME Corporation, Martha Acme, survived an attempted murder by Lady Doom, ToonTown Judge. Judge Doom attempted to let a piano fall on top of Acme's head in one of her warehouses at 11:00 PM. Fortunately, Acme was able to dodge and escape her and Toon Patrol._

 _"The judge always had an eye on the land where _ToonTown_ is," Acme commented, "I intend not to sell it to her." Acme also remarked that the toons will inherit the land of _ToonTown_ upon her will. " _ToonTown_ belongs to toons. I don't intend it any other way."_

 _Judge Doom and the Toon Patrol will be put under trial for homicide-_

Maroon didn't bother to read the rest of the news. Briskly, she strode toward her office. The press were really knocking themselves out, she thought, glancing at the second smaller headline with the Judge Doom's wild eyes. Even with the black and white photo, the headline screams its surprise that the judge's eyes were red. Who knew she was a toon in disguise?

 _Well, that's that_ , she told herself. Life goes on, there's business to run. No business like show business.

Maroon felt her lips grin wryly at the thought, entering her office. Hollywood gains you millions… and enemies. It was lucky Martha survi-

"Is this why you twisted my arm behind my back?"

Maroon froze. Slowly she turned around to see a humanoid toon sitting calmly beside the door. In his hand he held a copy of the newspaper. His tone was calm, devoid of any emotion. But his emerald eye that wasn't hidden by his auburn hair, bore into her that seemed to pierce her soul.

"Hello, Jesse." She continued to her table, as smoothly as a swan in a lake.

"I would have looked over the fact that you threatened me into obtaining your little blackmail," he continued as though she hadn't spoken. "But I never thought you'd hide the truth by getting rid of me thru my wife."

The last word was edged with ice and something dark that seemed to make the room bleak.

Maroon offered him a sympathetic smile.

"It had to be done, Jesse. It's for the good of ToonTown," she walked towards him, ignoring the air around them that became more and more stifling.

His face was a devoid smooth stone but his eyes would have burned a hole thru her if she was a toon. The studio's CEO opened her arms in a truthful gesture.

"I'm in toon's side, Jesse. I've worked with them all my life."

She was suddenly stopped when she saw herself staring at the pictures in his hand. Jesse had risen abruptly, staring her down. Maroon blinked, realizing it were the pictures Edna Valiant took of Jesse and Acme. Of course, he rummaged for them in her office. That fink.

"You never were."

With a flick of a lighter, he burned all of them in his hand. She froze, watching them turn into embers, her mind analyzing the costs and gains, the pros and cons at the turn of the situation.

When the flames was about to reach his hand, he opened his palm and crumpled the last bits of the photos.

"It was all for naught. Anyway, you didn't lose anything, did you?"

He turned his back and strode outside the door.

Maroon finally allowed herself to breath; her exhale went out in one long whoosh.

Yes, Hollywood could gain you more than just millions.

* * *

 **France, 1962**

"What on earth did you told them?!" Mina asked.

"Well..." Rhoda began sheepishly.

 _"Okay kids, there are a few things you need to know about your father. We had been happy but then he wasn't, I decided to let him go. So I moved here in France!"_

"You made it sound like you two had a well-adjusted separation!" Mina yelled, gesturing her cigarette holder at her end of the line. "All you have to do is tell them Jesse's a cheating ba-"

"I think I want to give them a chance to know their father," Rhoda interrupted. "Yeah, he had been unfaithful but..."

Mina facepalmed. Rhoda, after all these years, was too good for her own good.

"Fine, have it your way," the old toon said. "What makes you think he'd want to see them?"

There was a crackle of silence before Rhoda finally replied.

"I dunno… ask him?"

Skepticism flew thru the line. "And how will you do that?"

"Well, I thought I'd ask him to meet me somewhere and-" there was suddenly a groan from Mina's end.

"Mina, I'd rather not have a letter get into the wrong hands! He needs to know about them first," Rhoda exclaimed. "And it would be less awkward than putting it in writing."

"Even less awkward than finally facing him?"

Mina could almost smell the nervousness coming from the rabbit's line.

"You're not going to meet with him because of what I'm thinking, are you?" she asked suspiciously.

The line burst with Rhoda's voice. "NO! I mean, he chose Acme when he cheated, Mina. End of story. This is about Jack and Rose."

Mina snorted. "Good luck with that. Anyway, if you're coming back, I think I got a spare room in my house. Or three."

She could sense the rabbit smile before her voice went thru the phone. "Aww, Mina, you don't have to-"

"Shut up and just take it, rabbit," she said with a grin although Rhoda couldn't see it.

There was a laugh. "All right, Mina. Thank you."

Mina's voice suddenly became serious.

"There is something you need to know about Jesse."

* * *

 **Hollywood, 1950**

The ill wind bloweth no man good.

Maroon watched the last of boxes be carried by the movers. There was a movement on the corner of her eye and a humorless laugh escaped her.

"I guess you know better than anyone on what happened," she said.

The toon in red didn't reply but watched as her office was slowly emptied.

"I never thought you'd sink this low," she continued. Her own board of directors firing her on the pinnacle of her success. Their "leader" calmly explaining someone was willing to buy the studios with an offer that they couldn't refuse. The casual, placid expectation of her to resign in 30 days.

Her nails dug into her palms. Everything she had worked for. Everything she had sacrificed. For what? Why was she so surprised by this? Backstabbing was as common as handshakes in the business world.

She stared ahead fixedly. She would not give this toon manwhore the satisfaction of seeing her lose. He had his hand in this, she just knew.

"I guess that one little night in Charcoal Groove had worked on your favor, huh? You finally revealed your true colors."

The toon stood still as a post but Maroon didn't get to the top by being stupid.

"Congrats, you're now one of the board directors of _ACME_ studios. I can only imagine how you earned that."

She walked out, relishing her final words. Vengeance is swee-

"Congratulations too, with your 9th month with Richard."

She froze.

"I'm sure your husband is enjoying the lovely photos of you and your 26-year old boyfriend in that special suite."

* * *

 **Train travelling across Nevada, 1962**

"I got rabbit ears for non-sexy reasons, you jerk!" a red-faced Jack yelled.

Before he could teach the guy a lesson, someone yanked him at the back of his collar. He instantly knew who it was when the yank made him crash on his butt and was dragged away.

"Temper," Rhoda said.

Jack sighed. Even if his mother's ears didn't brush his shoulder standing up, she got one hell of an arm.

Something blocked his vision and Jack grumbled, adjusting the newsboy cap over his head.

"People aren't used to humanoid toons with rabbit ears, Jack," their mother patiently explained. "That's why I insist you wear them."

"I know," Jack said crossly, "but this hat isn't made for these ears."

The scenery suddenly changed in the window and Jack perked, forgetting his bad mood instantly. Rose, who was reading a magazine, shook her head when he had quieted down.

Rhoda smiled. With her children preoccupied, she went back to her own musings.

 _"Many of the toons were sad to see Maroon go," Mina said. "She had always been pro-toon."_

Rhoda internally nodded. Maroon Cartoon Studios was famous for hiring toons instead of making their own. It gave opportunities to toons who are no longer wanted by artists or were toons that were born from other toons and not made.

 _"After Acme took over the studio, she appointed Jesse as one of the board directors- the first toon ever," Mina snorted. "He's a piece of trash, Rhoda. I'm actually glad you're off without him."_

She wished Mina would stop mentioning about him and how she's better off without him. Ripping old wounds is meaningless and the feeling wasn't very nice. What Mina said after surprised her.

 _"I would have left but what other studio takes outside toons? Jesse didn't become popular after getting that position. After you disappearing and Acme pulling the strings for him, he's ToonTown's least favorite person."_

Rhoda stared at the window. She never thought about the consequences of her actions to others. But she doubt she had that much effect in ToonTown. A lot had happened while she was gone.

 _"But surprisingly, a toon in the same power of humans makes a good spokesperson for toons," Mina said begrudgingly. "But he's still an asshole."_

The times she and Mina communicated, she never asked about him and Mina never told any. Her times with him were a closed chapter and it feels better to her to just move on.

"What?"

She looked up to see that her daughter had spoken, sounding somewhat annoyed. Jack was looking at the inside of the magazine then back at Rose several times.

"I never noticed it," her son said. He flipped the inside of the magazine to them to show models filling both pages.

He pointed to their faces, their eyes half-lidded seductively. "But you always look like you're trying to smolder."

He suddenly lifted the magazine to his face, the glossy pages frosted by an icy glare.

"It's true!" he laughed.

"This," Rose said pointing at her face devoid of emotion, "is how I always look like."

"Yeah," Jack chirped, placing the magazine beside her for better comparison, "see?"

"Children," Rhoda chastised, but none of them heard her.

"At least I don't look like this," Rose said. Her face suddenly morphed into an enthusiastic expression of someone who had too much espresso. "Unlike some people," she remarked pointedly.

Jack stared at her, awe making his mouth agape. "Do that again."

Her face transformed back to glacial glare. "No."

"Oh c'mooooon, that was fantastic!"

"Go jump out of the window."

"But you'll miss me!"

"I'll throw a party to cheer myself up."

"Haha! _You_?"

There was suddenly an indignant glint in her eyes. "Why you..."

He shook his head morosely. "It is so sad that my dear sister doesn't have a silly bone in her body."

"It's so sad my dear brother of mine doesn't have a miniscule of age in maturity," she replied back with equal solemnity.

Rhoda looked back and forth between them before sitting back and just letting them bicker.

* * *

 **France, 1947**

Rhoda crashed into her bed, head fuzzy with French phases.

The room she rented was bleak and worn. It was what she could afford while living on her savings.

Her head turned to the stack of English-French translation books on the other side of the room.

What was she thinking?

Would she even survive in this small toon community? Would she even find a job while she got buns in her oven?

She closed her eyes, remembering, of all things, the story of Vikings.

The Vikings once traveled across the sea and into the land of the enemy. The chief then ordered all of the boats to be burned. As the soldiers watched the whole fleet burn, the chief said:

"Now, the only choice we have is to win."

Her hand roamed to her abdomen.

* * *

 ** ** **Hollywood, Valiant and Valiant Private Investigators Office, 1962******

Diamonds may be a girl's best friend but vodka was one hell of a lover.

Edna Valiant longingly looked at the empty bottle of vodka. Her relationship with vodka was like with Doris –on and off with headaches and warm kisses in between. Dysfunctional but functional.

She sighed tossing it to the nearby bin, unmindful of the tinkling glass. Doris deserved more than a lady detective with an alcohol problem. He deserved a woman who's meant to be a wife.

She was not and never meant to be that woman.

In one heave, she dumped a drawer of files on her table. Enough about that, she needed to take an inventory.

It's been more than 30 years, she's nearing retirement. For anyone involved with her work, it meant massive information she had collected and kept from them as bribe, threat or leverage.

Her nose wrinkled at the smell of mildew and lingering dust. Some of them were solved cases of more than a decade.

Half an hour later, she now had a Keep pile and a Burn pile. She went through all of them. By the time she was on 1931-39, her fingers were itchy from dust.

"Never thought toons would have so many issues, eh Terrie?" she asked the empty air.

It had been painful before. It was still painful now, but the pain was duller. She gripped a paper a little too tightly.

The ex-judge Doom was traced to the Toon Bank robbery back in 1946. As far as she knew, the psycho was locked up in a mental facility.

There was a grinding sound only she could hear when her teeth sheared against each other.

As far as she was concerned, they should have dunked her in her own invention: The Dip.

She sighed, shaking her head. Damn the jury to hell.

A photo fell off. Her hands stilled from flipping folder after folder and she glanced at it.

It was a photo R.K. Maroon told her take of the humanoid toon and Martha Acme.

She picked it up, examining the black and white photo. Oh the secrets she could write into a book.

Back in 1947, hotshot Maroon convinced her to take pictures of a philandering husband to wisen up the rabbit. Three years later, the humanoid toon came into her office wanting to buy her copies saying Maroon arranged the whole thing.

"Good intentions are paved to hell," Edna muttered, flicking the photo back to the correct folder.

Jesse, the humanoid, said Maroon meant it to be blackmail material. Now that Acme had no intention of selling the land where ToonTownwas, the photos have lost their intention.

The toon had paid good money of it but Edna kept one for safekeeping. A few years later, Maroon, kicked out of her own studios, was willing to pay whatever price for a copy of the scandalous picture. In fact, Maroon went back a couple of times for several months to cajole her into doing so.

Edna could have and Edna would have.

But Jesse was a good spokesperson for toons. The detective didn't give a damn about toons anymore but she understood people who were fair.

Jesse was fair. Cold but fair.

Edna flop the folder to the Keep pile.

Just in case.

* * *

 **France, 1949**

"Sshhh… " Rhoda hushed desperately.

But her little boy continued to wail. Rhoda didn't bother to look at the clock as she rocked him. She knew she's going to be late for work. The other twin began to cry.

She lifted her other child in her available arm. There was an ache on her shoulders and neck that she couldn't shake off –an allegorical form of her sadness that she was still wrestling with. She couldn't remember the last time she had more than two hours of sleep. She couldn't even look at herself in the mirror. It took an effort to perk up her ears and she couldn't shake the gray that's coloring her fur.

As she rocked them, the back of her mind was screaming of the bills that needed to be paid, what her employer would think about her fifth day to be late, the sitter she hired had still not shown up, the sink and the roof were leaking again and the landlord was getting nastier-

There was a banging on the door amidst the wailing of her twins.

"Rent!" an accented voiced yelled.

Rhoda groaned. It was probably one of the few English words her landlord knew.

The twins on her arms screamed louder. The clock ticked. The landlord kept banging her door. The voices inside her head grew louder with worry.

The kettle screamed a high-pitch whistle and began to overflow with steam.

Rhoda snapped.

And took charge.

Months after Mina finally saw her again, she wondered if she still knew the rabbit that she met before.

* * *

 **ToonTown, Mina's Manor, 1962  
**

"How come you don't have pictures of our father?"

Mina leaned out of the stroller Rhoda was pushing. She regarded the young man with a dry smirk.

"Let's just say yer father and I don't get along very well."

His rabbit ear slapped a fly out of the way and Mina relished how the twins had their attention to her.

"When yer mama left, I have zero reasons to see him, much less, talk."

It's strange to be called "Aunt Mina" and stranger to see the lean and lanky young man and the elegant rabbit girl were Rhoda's kids.

Rose moved with an elegant grace instead of a rabbit's bounce. Jack was the ball of energy. It was kind of disturbing seeing a young man with Jesse's face whooping and sliding down the banister.

And Rose.

Mina shook her head. Rhoda's doe daughter had an element of seduction that could not be denied.

"Say, kids, wanna watch yer mother's cartoon shorts?"

Rhoda's face became horrified. "No!"

"Yes!" Jack yelled. Rose's brows rose pleasantly and she nodded in assent.

Rhoda suddenly popped upside down over the roof of the pram. "Mina, you've got to show us around ToonTown!" she exclaimed, "It's been a long time since I've been here."

Mina looked at her as though it's normal to talk to people who hang upside down.

"I dunno, Rhoda. There are paparazzi festering that place like a pneumonia. I don't think you'd like the attention."

Rabbit ears waved off-handedly. "Naah, I don't think anyone would recognize me by now."

Rhoda yelped when Mina yanked her roughly into the pram.

"'Scuse me, kids," she said to the twins before shutting down the roof of the pram.

Rhoda blinked, realizing Mina had pushed them inside the pram's hammerspace.

"You don't get it."

Mina stood there in the dark, her hands on her hips.

"You suddenly left, Rhoda. An A-list toon star who turned her back on Hollywood and disappeared. Toons live too long not to forget. Sooner or later, someone's going to recognize the 'rabbit who ran away'."

She poked Rhoda hard on the chest.

"And when they realize that Acme's 'ho has long-lost kids with the runaway rabbit, hell will break lose."

* * *

 **France, 1948**

"I can't raise them there, Mina."

The "Baby" grunted, looking at the sleeping infants inside the crib. The place was clean but a rundown eyesore as far as Mina was concerned.

"Mrs. Maroon hired a detective to spy on Jesse. Turns out, he's been having an affair."

Rhoda's voice was neutral but she looked very focused on chopping vegetables.

"So you decided to put the Atlantic Ocean between you two?"

The slicing rhythm suddenly stopped. Mina felt her insides freeze when Rhoda looked up with an expression she never saw on her before.

The knife glinted in the light.

"This isn't about him and me, Mina. This is about them."

They were in a standstill for a moment before Mina looked away. There was a firm finality in Rhoda's voice that was new in Mina's ears.

"Word travels fast in ToonTown. I don't want him to come back to me for the wrong reasons."

 _"Ma..ma..."_

They both gaped at each other before Rhoda rushed to the crib.

"Did you hear that?" Rhoda asked incredulously.

The little white kit yawned, opening her eyes into emerald gleams.

"Ma... ma..."

Rhoda did a hop-py, happy little dance; covering her mouth against a silent, happy squeal. She then scooped the kit up, cooing and a bit teary-eyed.

"My baby's first word! Jeepers!" she whispered in joyful wonder. "Oh Rose, my sweet little carrot cake-"

Mina felt herself relaxed... and relieved, feeling the familiar happy glow that Rhoda had always exuded.

Now there's the rabbit she knew and (which she will only admit above an open vat of Dip) loved.

* * *

 **ToonTown, The Nut Bar, 1962  
**

The only thing that was gluing Rhoda to her seat was her love for her children.

Thirty minutes. That was all she was willing to wait, then she'd go. Mina had recommended The Nut Bar for being secluded. She could do this.

She could face him.

Mina wanted to come with her but this is between him and her, right? She raised two children alone, she could handle this.

Right?

She told Jack and Rose that she would need to contact their father first –ask if he wanted to meet them.

Rhoda always thought her let-you-go-letter fifteen years ago would be the last letter she would ever write to him.

She'd never thought she would be writing a letter asking him to meet her again.

Her chest rose with a breath more necessary for her soul than her body. She could do this. She knew she could.

Then someone smoothly slid to the chair across her table. Emerald eyes regarded her stoically under wine red bangs.

"Hello, Rhoda," Jesse said.

No, she couldn't-

Years of weathered self-will was the only thing that stomped her thought of timidity.

Yet her throat instantly dried. Emotions and memories burst raging, it nearly overwhelmed her. It was true what they said about past lovers. Her hands clenched into her purse.

"Hello, Jesse."

Even when sitting, Jesse was tall and imposing with his marble expression. He looked the same but…

"How are you?"

Rhoda jumped at the sound of his voice and she instantly pulled herself together. Twenty seconds with him and she already felt like fleeing.

"Good," she replied. She stared at the part between his eyebrows, silently coaxing herself to smile. "How are you?"

"Good."

Silence stretched across the table; stiff, uncomfortable and guarded –at least on her side. Jesse's face looked more and more like a mask.

Would he hold it against her if she jumped out of the window?

It didn't help that Mina's voice was echoing "Acme's 'ho" inside her head.

"What do you want?"

She startled again at his forward statement. But what was small talk between them when she couldn't even look at him in the eye?

"Your kids want to meet you."

He blinked. His entire form remained unmoved.

"Kids?"

She nodded, "Yes."

"Kid _s_?"

Rhoda slid a photo across the table.

"They're twins. Their names are Jack and Rose, they're fifteen years old."

She instantly retracted her hand when his hand came to pick it up.

His eyes scanned the photo. A humanoid teenager with bunny ears had his arm around a beautiful young doe. The boy's blue eyes were smirking and alight with mischief while the young rabbit girl was smiling with her hands clasped femininely in front of her.

He blinked again, his mind suddenly frozen at sight.

How…

Fifteen years ago, Maroon congratulated him to getting Acme closer to him. She was going to hire a detective tomorrow to get "evidence."

It was repulsive. It was wrong. But it was for Rhoda.

His mind suddenly flew to the night before he "staged" the evidence.

Oh.

That one night of veiled apology. That night when he hold on to her like he'd never let her go while he-

Rhoda's voice broke him out of those memories.

"You can meet them… only if you want to."

 **End of Chapter 1**


	3. Dark, Cold Ice

**France, 1962, before travelling to US**

"So what are you going to tell us about our dad?" Jack asked curiously, letting his long legs dangle from the stool he was sitting on.

"Well, your father's name is Jesse Krupnik," their mother said, seated across the kitchen table. "As you know, Jack has his looks," their mother said, gesturing at him, "and Rose got his eyes."

Jack nodded fervently with a casual slouch on his shoulders. Beside him, Rose leaned forward, her back a graceful arch.

"And we also know he's got good taste," Jack said, a serious look in his eyes.

Rhoda looked up thoughtfully to her floppy rabbit ears. "Well, he does dress nicely. Why'd you say that?"

He grinned, his own rabbit ears perking up. "Because he married you!"

Jack regretted his words as soon as it left his mouth. Their mother's eyes suddenly watered into shimmering robin eggs and she bowed her head, her bangs shrouding her gaze.

An elbow suddenly connected painfully on his ribs. Jack rubbed the injury with a resentful look at his sister. But Rose looked ahead as though nothing happened.

" _Maman_ ," Rose hastily said, "We know you're uncomfortable talking about our father. I can tell it, Jack can feel it despite his blunt sense of subtlety-"

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!"

"-but we would appreciate anything you will have to say about our father. Letting us meet him is more than enough. _Je suis heureux comme un poisson dans l'eau_."

Their mother sat there, her head still bowed.

They both suddenly yelped when their torsos were dragged across the table with each of their mother's arms wrapped around them.

"Aaw… how did I get so blessed with such wonderful children?" Rhoda cried, rubbing her cheeks against theirs.

"Ma…" Jack choked from their mother's one-arm embrace. Being rather long in frame, it wasn't exactly comfortable when he's halfway across the table.

With a vise-like arm around his neck.

Their mother must have mistaken his choking for something else because she began to rock them. Hearts began to project all over the room.

"Don't worry, Jack, I just felt so touched with your words then your sister just have to be a cherry on top!"

There was a muffled sound and Jack attempted to signal their mother to let go by patting her arm.

Apparently, she mistook it for something else again, because her grip became tighter.

"I love you two so much…" she whispered, love brimming in her voice.

Jack gurgled. Rose, however, was enjoying the moment with her legs tucked comfortably on the table's surface.

"So what do you have to tell us about our father, _Maman_?" she inquired.

Rhoda let go of them and Jack gasped, straightening up.

The twins leaned forward. Rhoda looked at each of them.

 _Tell them the truth_ , Mina said.

Her son and daughter were looking at her expectantly. The memory of Mina's voice echoed.

 _After what he did? They'll be turned off from meeting him, much less, hear more about him._

Rhoda took a deep breath.

"Okay kids, there are a few things you need to know about your father. We had been happy but then he wasn't, I decided to let him go. So I moved here in France!"

Jack and Rose stared at her.

"He's a very nice man. Quiet like Rose," she smiled, gesturing at her daughter. "People might think he's standoffish. But once you get to know him, he's quite warm-hearted."

Jack made hacking coughs that sounded like "Rose" and "except the last part".

Rose stretched out a delicate hand and shoved him without as much as a glance.

Rhoda beamed at them softly.

"Things didn't work out between your father and me. But given the chance, you two would be able to get along with him pretty well."

* * *

 **Hollywood, 1950**

Leroy Hyena looked sadly at the sight with his hands deep in his pockets.

He sighed as he watched the workmen take down the metal fonts "MAROON CARTOON STUDIOS" on the front of the Administrator Building.

Some of the other toons loitered to watch the humans at work.

"So it's true. Acme is taking over," a gangly lion said.

The others grunted, mumbled and even barked in acquiescence.

"Don't mind it actually, Acme's done a great favor to us," one of them replied.

A frog in a bowtie looked at him with scorn. "Maroon had done a great favor to us."

Leroy remained silent, sensing the impending argument. ToonTown was split between two pro-toons –the fired founder that gave jobs to toons and the takeover master that gave her land to toons.

He rubbed his arm. What's the point of arguing about that? He slouched and turned to walk away.

"Heard that Jesse Krupnik took the part of sound mind and Acme of sound body."

His floppy shoe stilled in midair.

A goat with a cane chewed on a stem of hay. "Are ya sure you it wasn't the other way around?"

There was a ring of laughter. Leroy was numbly aware of his nails digging into his palms. ToonTown gossip column was full of Jesse running around with the middle-aged business lady. Ever since his wife left, Jesse was…

"That guy is such a power-hungry cad. Who knew he would be the one who'd turn two good people against each other?"

This time, there was a stronger murmur of assent.

Leroy bit his lip. He wanted to tell them that they got it wrong. Jesse wasn't like that. Jesse was one of the people who are good, who treated him like an actual person, who-

"Hey, ugly! Yer lookin' at me like I'm diarrhea yer trying to hold back. Ya got somtin' ta say?" the bulldog asked, folding his muscular arms in front of him.

Leroy blinked, realizing he had been shaking.

"Nothing," he mumbled, lowering his head.

Their attention was momentarily diverted when the marquee "ACME Studios" was replaced on the front of the building.

The old goat's eyes squinted as though condemning the sign. "That no-good son of a gun took away Maroon's everything."

Leroy looked sadly at the old poster of "Baby Mina" cartoon shorts, the rabbit frozen in gleeful rapture.

"Then I guess they're even," he mumbled to himself.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1962: Night One in Hollywood**

"They're hiding something, _Maman_ and Aunt Mina."

Jack looked at his sister who was walking the entire length of his bedroom and back. The doe's face was impassive but her eyes were windows to grinding gears.

He patiently waited for her to continue. Rose always could pick up things that he wouldn't notice.

"We've never seen him" she said, standing in front of him. She shook her head at the fact that her younger brother was still taller than her even when seated.

Jack cocked his head, "Okay, and?"

Rose looked at him patiently. "We've never seen him, we've never heard of him, we wouldn't be able to meet him –not unless we had asked."

Her jaw tightened just a little when her dear humanoid brother still looked confused. "Okay, and? –aah!"

Soft hands suddenly pulled him close by the ears so that their foreheads rest against each other. Emerald gaze crashed with sky blue.

"It means our father is a sensitive subject to _Maman_."

Jack blinked at the close-up green-eyed intensity. His calm bunny sister did have her charged moments. "We already know that," he replied.

"But why?" she persisted.

He shrugged, his head still trapped between her hands and her forehead. "She said it didn't work out."

"So she let him go," she supplied. The doe let go of his rabbit ears. "Remember what you told me what the air feels like when _Maman_ gets all quiet after she finally talked about our father?"

He sat back, his whole demeanor suddenly went blue. "Sad… enclosed."

She frowned thoughtfully, "Aunt Mina even said she doesn't like him-"

"Abhor."

Rose paused. "Huh?"

Jack gestured around. "Between the range of dislike and hatred, Aunt Mina sounds like she dislikes him but she felt," he grasped the air as though touching something tangible, "like she abhors him."

His twin sister stared at him.

"What?" Jack asked.

Rose shook her head. "Nothing. So _Maman's_ upset about him and Aunt Mina abhors him," she concluded, holding her chin.

He looked at her. "I don't get it. Why? It sounds like they parted ways pretty well."

They both looked at the door they had enclosed for privacy.

"I don't think they parted in a good way," Rose said.

They looked at each other. Jack's eyes widened in horror.

" _Mon diue_ , is that why she got upset when I said he's got taste for having married her?!" He scrambled across the bed for the door. " _Maman!_ I'm so sor- Oof!"

Something collided on top of him and weighed him down on his spine.

" _Ce n'est pas grave_ , Jack. We don't know why they hid it," Rose said.

"But _Maman-_ "

"Is slow to anger and quick to forget," Rose simply said.

She waited for him to calm down before getting off him. The moment their eyes met, their minds clicked at one.

Jack felt himself smile, reading her mind.

"So what are we going to do about it?…" he asked, already knowing the answer.

Rose smiled a cool smile of her own. "We're going to find out why."

* * *

 **US/France, 1957**

"I don't know what to do with those two," Rhoda sighed over the phone.

Mina grunted, listening to the clinking on the background. She could almost envision Rhoda washing dishes with the phone trapped between her shoulder and cheek.

"One time when they were four, there was a horrible crash then Rose was screaming. I ran to their room to find a giant hole on the ceiling and Jack out cold on Rose's lap. Turned out Jack bounced too high. Humanoids don't jump that high, Mina, but Jack did."

"Well," Mina drawled, "He isn't wholly humanoid, ya know."′

"That's the problem. Jack doesn't have the resiliency of an anthropomorph but he's as wacky as one –even now." There was a shifting sound as though Rhoda had shifted the phone to her other ear. "And I'm worried about Rose."

"Whaddya mean?"

"She's not very expressive. I have to rely on 'feeling' the air around her to know if she needs to laugh... or be left alone."

The "infant" lit her cigar, watching the embers glow. "I guess that's what you get when you mix paint with… you know."

The static crackled before Rhoda spoke. With her sigh, she could almost see the rabbit rubbing her temple.

"They'd always get into trouble."

Mina habitually raised her brows in agreement although Rhoda couldn't see her.

"Jack's a fighter with that defiant spirit in him. He can be brave but he can also be reckless." An exhale could be heard among the clinking of dishes.

"Rose doesn't have his fire, but she'd always question things if she thinks that ain't right. Adults hate to be corrected by kids and I won't always be there to act as a buffer."

Mina grunted in agreement. Only fools would suffer fools gladly.

"With the two of them together... Let's say it's a good thing I work in their school."

They both laughed, remembering the times the twins were herded into the principal's office for "causing trouble."

"But I have to admit I am glad," there was a tired smile in Rhoda's voice over the phone. "They're not going to be like me."

* * *

 **ToonTown, Mina's Manor, 1962; Day 2 in Hollywood**

"Baby Mina, don't panic! I'll save ya!"

"Whee!"

Jack and Rose sat transfixed to the screen of Aunt Mina's home theatre. They were finally able to convince their mother to let them watch the "Baby Mina and Rhoda Rabbit" cartoon shorts.

The setting was in a high-class office. Somehow, the baby and the nanny ended up in it. Somehow, the baby found the air vent very fascinating. Somehow, the rabbit ended up in the only vent that was vertically aligned.

"Aaaaaaauuugghh!"

Unfortunately, for some reason, the vent wasn't also straight.

"Ow! Ooh! Ee! Ah! Ouch! Eek! Itai! Huy! Aïe! Aua! Ai, Porra!-"

A white ball of fur banged in every nook and cranny of the zigzagging vent.

"Av! Autsch! Akh! Aray! Eina! Ayah! Oy! Huy!-"

Jack whooped in laughter, clutching his stomach. He knew his mother rocks, but who knew she was this awesome! Such timing! Such style!

The scene changed into an office setting, a tall figure in a suit strode, carrying a briefcase.

"-aaaughh!"

Rhoda fell out of the vent and the camera focused on her dazed face, stars spinning around her head.

"Wha-?"

"Are you okay?"

Rose and Jack's jaws hang open when the camera zoomed out to show a man that looked like an older version of Jack–with their mother in his arms.

Mina laughed out loud at their reactions. "And that kids, is how she met your father," she joked.

The rabbit inside the cartoon short, however, stared at him like a deer caught in headlights. Slowly, her white fur tinged red. She suddenly squeaked over her closed fists, turning away so hard, she rolled off his arms with a crash.

"That's… our father?" Rose asked, awed. If Jack wanted to know how he would look like in 10 to 15 years, all he needed to do was look at the picture of their father.

Mina nodded. "Yep."

"Jeepers," Jack whispered, running a hand over red hair and rabbit ears.

Their mother on the screen suddenly stood up as though nothing happened.

"No, I'm fine," she giggled breathlessly, mushily twirling both of her ears.

Jack leaned away from the sight. "Was she also that crazy about our father before?"

Mina rolled her eyes. "Honey, you have no idea."

* * *

Jack flopped back to his bed, papers rustling.

Since their decision to find out more about their father, they've read every newsrag and magazine they could find that have "Jesse Krupnik" on it.

He raked his hand over crimson hair and rabbit ears. They've learned some in the "serious" journals. Their father was the first toon to be a board director to one of the largest animation studios. But most of them focused on events, not interviews.

It was nice seeing videos of their father, but he was acting in there. It wasn't like he was being himself.

He frowned, looking at the mags that had photos of their father in it.

"Hey."

Rose paused in turning a newsrag's page, slender rabbit feet tucked under her. " _Oui_?"

"How do you think our father and _Maman_ got together?"

His twin sister shrugged. "We've yet to know."

Jack stretched, scratching his back. Only his quick reflexes saved the lamp that he accidentally knocked.

"It's just that _Maman_ is so bright and cheery," he said, straightening up with the rescued furniture. "And in every pic of our father, I've never seen him smile."

"Maybe he doesn't have a sense of humor. _Peut-être_ ," Rose said offhandedly, going back to reading.

His streamlined ears went straighter in horror. "Why would _Maman_ marry someone like that?"

* * *

 **Maroon Cartoon Studios, 1946**

"No, I'm fine," she giggled breathlessly, mushily twirling both of her ears.

"AND CUT!"

Her sappy expression went off like a switch. "Jeepers! I finally got 'lovestruck' down the pat!" she exclaimed, hopping up and down in celebration. "Whoo-hoo!"

Jesse nodded in agreement but was suddenly pulled by the hands by the bouncing bunny.

"Thanks goodness girls flirt with you, Jesse! I've never seen such raw material!" she laughed, jumping around in a circle around him with their hands still connected.

A little smile tugging on his mouth was barely noticeable, as though the joy radiating from her was flowing through their joined hands.

He stared at their hands, wondering what hers would feel without her yellow gloves.

"The glazed gazes, the hair twirling, their giggly speech! It's actually a treasury of funny stuff! Who knew love would make people silly? Your fans-"

"It's not love."

Rabbit feet stopped bouncing. Their hands stayed entwined. "Huh?"

He stared at their hands, feeling the thumps resonate inside him.

"I would know," Jesse said quietly, meeting her eyes.

Rhoda blinked. A blind man who never saw the tremendous meteor that just passed by.

"Whelp, gotta go, Jesse! Thank you, thank you, thank you with lots of sugar and spice and everything nice on top of a giant cherry!"

With a quick hug, she zoomed off, calling for Mina.

The little smile was now more noticeable, like a fresh sprout on a crack of concrete, as he watched her go.

He had been letting her know, but she hadn't get it yet. But one day, he would tell her.

And he could only hope on what she would do next.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1962, Day 5 in Hollywood**

Even when she's safely in her car and away from the Nut Bar, Rhoda felt like sinking into her seat.

She shouldn't have met him. It was a bad idea. Just seeing him was a bad idea. Just he seeing her was a bad idea.

Everything had gone smoothly. But his face…

Rhoda slammed her head into the driver's wheel.

She knew him long enough to know that masked expression. It's what he wears when he's upset, or mad or sad but propriety states to keep up the front.

Her nails, if she had any, dug into the driver's wheel.

Didn't she tell him in the letter to be happy? Didn't she tell him she was letting him go? Didn't he want that? Did he hate seeing her again that bad that he had to have stones for eyes? What else did he want less from her so that he could be happy?!

She fumed and took a deep breath.

 _Calm down._

She exhaled slowly, letting it go out carefully from her mouth. A trick she got from Mina's Anger Management Therapist (which Mina ignored).

On the bright side, at least he agreed to let them meet him.

She perked, sitting up straighter. Jack and Rose would be thrilled.

Rhoda felt a little guilt that she had put this off for almost a week. She just needed some bonding time with Mina and… well, she was scared.

But not anymore, she puffed up her chest proudly. She had faced the dragon and she had accomplished her goal.

Her kids were going to be very happy on the good news.

And maybe, if seeing her caused him so much distress, she could always remove herself from his perimeters.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1947**

There were a lot of things Leroy Hyena had come to terms with in his life.

First of all, he knew he's dead ugly. He could have looked for an artist to redraw him to something more pleasing to the eyes. But aside from the fact that it would have been very expensive, it didn't parallel with his beliefs.

He was drawn this way and he'll stick with that.

Second, he's fully aware it will be hard for him to find a girl. But he's very optimistic that he'll find the girl who'll love him for his personality. He'll just have to be very active on the pursuit –no matter how many screams and headwhacks he would take.

Third, he may be ugly, but it helps getting friends who are actual friends. One of them was Jesse. Coincidentally, they share the same signature clothes although his bagged on the wrong places. In a distance, when the light played just right or when you squint really, really hard after drinking cobra tequila, people would say they almost have the same figure.

But even if Jesse was like an artist's gift to women and he was as ugly as sin (on the outside, mind you); Leroy knew he couldn't find a truer friend than him.

Said friend was now leaning on his doorway; completely, utterly and clearly drunk.

"What happened to you?" To say that Leroy was horrified was an understatement. In a world where he couldn't control how others treat him, Jesse liked self-discipline since it's the only thing he could control.

"Ineb… indeb… inbeburrrated… inberbriated," Jesse muttered, swaying a bit. His eyes looked exhausted and red. His clothes were disheveled.

This was not the Jesse he knew. His friend suddenly began to fall forward and he caught him. Together, he awkwardly got him inside his flat.

"I thought you went back home," he said although it was clear Jesse wasn't very vocal for now.

"Home… _ish_ no more," was his friend's answer. It was getting surreal by the second. The alcohol was definitely blurring his vocal chords.

Leroy stared at him. "What are you talking about?"

Last night, Jesse had knocked on his door asking if he could stay for the night. There was sadness in his eyes that he didn't explain. He obliged although his friend didn't specify why.

Later on that morning, his friend was so distracted; he didn't even notice the headlines that Acme was almost murdered. Then Jesse said goodbye that evening.

He managed to pour Jesse into the sofa and he slumped on the floor, leaning against the furniture. He was literally skin and bones, for Warner's sake.

"A few _weeksh_ ago… Maroon asked me to come into her office…" Jesse said, staring at something across the room and onto the wall.

Leroy stared, listening to his tale of blackmail and seduction, horror creeping into reality at what Maroon had done, what Jesse had done.

"I have to _shtay_ here… can't face her." there was pain in his eyes at his words. Lying on his side, he looked like life was draining from him.

Leroy clamped his hand over Jesse's shoulder, if only to bring him at least a shred of comfort.

"Don't know what to do…. Had to go home…"

Leroy felt his throat tightening. In all the years he'd known him, Jesse was supposed to be the unbreakable one.

"Only there _wash_ no home…"

Leroy wiped away the glimmer trailing down Jesse's face, panicking. He'd do anything to make it stop. "What are you talking about, Jesse?" he asked, frantic. "You still have a house, right? You-"

Then his eyes bugged, realization hitting him.

"Where's Rhoda?"

* * *

The next day, Jesse woke up like nothing happened. He got up and left after thanking Leroy. But his eyes were colder, harder.

Darker.

And that scared Leroy even more.

* * *

 **Hollywood, Valiant and Valiant Private Investigators Office, 1962**

Maybe she should try cleaning from time to time.

Edna stood proudly before twelve rows of neater cabinet files. Already, the room felt breathable without the aged, dirty files.

Speaking of dirty...

Her eyes glanced at the Keep pile. She really shouldn't be displaying the scandalous photo of Acme and the toon out in the-

BANG!

Her head snapped to the window, across the road and into the bar-

"Doris!" she cried, haphazardly putting the photo inside its folder. Office door swinging, she was out in a flash.

* * *

 **France, 1952**

"It's co-dependency," their teacher declared. "They should learn to be without each other."

Five-year-old Jack and Rose Rabbit never understood their teacher's logic. They're perfectly fine together. But the teacher requested Jack to be transferred to another class.

Five minutes later, Jack was sullenly facing the classroom's corner for being agitatedly disruptive. Yelling for his sister, demanding to go out, banging the windows (he tried to upend the teacher's table but was carried off). Meanwhile, Rose kept to herself and never interacted with other children.

But the teacher was firm. They should learn.

Before the day ended, she almost had a heart attack to see Jack happily seated behind Rose's desk beside his twin.

The next day, they were once again separated to different classrooms. Jack was once again beside Rose before Recess. This time, the teacher closed the door after escorting a protesting Jack back to his _proper_ classroom. Rose spent the entire day looking down at her feet.

By Wednesday, the teacher locked the door before beginning the lessons. Just when they're finished Story Reading, Rose was telling Jack about Ali-Baba. Not only did Jack managed to sneak in again, the little rabbit girl had "borrowed" the advanced book and read that instead of their current story lesson.

The next day, the teacher closed both door _and_ windows. It didn't took long to find out that Rose was unlocking windows behind her back.

By Friday, Rose was transferred to another class in the second floor. Jack still found her. She was then transferred to another class. And Jack still found her. This was repeated several times.

He didn't mind. It was like a big game of Hide-and-Seek with the entire school building. It didn't took long to find out their _modus operandi_. Rose would volunteer to sing whenever she was introduced to a new class. Jack, with his rabbit ears, would then escape and run around the school, following her voice.

That was the final straw.

The teacher finally called _Maman_ to come to school and explained the problem. How Jack and Rose was disrupting class. How Jack is running around the school during class hours. How naughty Rose has been when she had always been a good girl.

Jack had stubbornly crossed his arms while Rose had quietly taken in to looking at her bunny feet.

And how _Maman_ should tell them to get used to being separated.

The twins suddenly looked up to _Maman._

There was silence as both teacher and twins looked at her expectantly.

"Kids," _Maman_ finally asked quietly, "Is it true you've done nothing but try to be together?"

"That's right, a sign of co-dependency," the teacher agreed.

"No!" Jack said defiantly. The teacher sighed. They still haven't gotten to ruler-slapping that rebellious streak out of him. "We've done _everything_ to be together!"

Rose said nothing. He already said all that needs to be said.

 _Maman_ looked at them for a long time.

"I think, Miss Charlotte, those were very independent thinking. It would be fine with me if they're in the same class."

Nobody likes to be wrong. But Jack and Rose never gave the teacher any problems after that.

* * *

 **Hollywood, 1962**

"Doris!" Edna yelled, bursting from the entrance and pointing her pistol.

She was expecting someone crazy holding a smoking gun, having everyone held hostage.

She was halfway right. Somebody crazy was holding a gun and it was Angela. But nobody was being held hostage. In fact, all eyes were trained at her.

Her eyes scanned the whole area. "What's going on in here?" she slowly asked.

One of the barflies scuffed her fingernails on her coat. "Well, we've been all discussin' how are we goin' to get ya in here and Angela had a brilliant idea."

Her eyes zoomed to Doris who looked a bit nervous. "And you're allowing this shenanigans inside your bar?" she asked with a raise of a brow.

His hands flew up in defense. "It's not like they asked for permission."

She lowered her pistol. "Okay, I'm here now. What's going on?"

All of them expectantly looked at Doris. He sighed.

"They found out by accident," he muttered as he strode out from behind the bar.

"You've been keeping it for months now!" someone countered.

Edna scowled in confusion. "Keeping what?"

Doris kept walking, grabbed her and dragged her to the rotgut room.

"Nobody touches anything!" he yelled over his shoulder before closing the door.

"What is this all about?" Edna asked crossly.

"Sit," Doris ordered, pointing at one of the chairs.

Edna did for the sake of getting over it. "What now?"

Doris sat on the next chair and faced her. He took something out of his pocket. All the air in the room seemed to rush out when he slid it across the table.

"Will you marry me?"

The world suddenly stopped. Edna stared at the tiny rock glinting against the swinging lamp post.

"I know we're not the most conventional couple and I accept that. What matters anyway is… well, you."

Her mouth was still agape. All her years of being a detective didn't let her come into this conclusion. They were far from the most romantic couple. She would never expect Doris to bow down to one knee and proclaim undying love. She most definitely would never expect him proposing to be with her for the rest of his days. Doris was...

"You need to find yourself a good woman," she said, hating how her voice sounded so weak.

He smiled. "I already found one."

* * *

 **France, 1953**

"Hey, Aunt Mina! Where do _bébés_ come from?" Five-year-old Rose asked.

The middle-aged toon simply smirked at the twin tots before her. Being in a vacation leave, Mina decided to enjoy it by taking a private trip to France.

"Well, my boy, when a man and a woman love each other so much; they call the stork to bring a baby." But then Mina grinned like a wolf. "But that was back in the 1910s."

The little boy's blue eyes widened and Rose's floppy ears fluttered.

"Now, toons are drawn with girl parts and boy parts. So when a man and a woman love each other so much-" She paused for dramatization. "-the man would use his brush and use the woman's inkwell to draw a baby."

A few weeks later and back in ToonTown, Mina was rolling on the floor from laughter.

"Mina! What have you told them? It's not funny!" the mouthpiece of the phone yelled beside her. "The teacher said Jack told the visiting school board that his father made them by dipping his big brush into their mommy's inkwell!"

In the background, a little boy's voice piped up. "But it must be true! We're too big for those brushes in school!"

Mina recovered long enough to gasp. "See, Rhoda? Even your little boy knows!"

"Mina!" Rhoda exclaimed.

* * *

 **Valiant and Valiant Private Investigators Office, 1962, Day 5 in Hollywood**

"What kind of detectives would leave their door unlocked?" Jack asked, looking around the empty office.

"A careless one?" Rose replied, daintily stepping over crumpled papers.

He threw himself backwards on one of the chairs inside the office. The chair tilted dangerously before righting again.

"It looks like the detectives live in here," Rose observed, sitting herself primly across him.

His rabbit ears gestured everywhere. "They must have loved their job that much. Home is where the heart is."

In a soundless conversation, they decided to wait for the detective. Jack immediately went for the framed achievements.

Rose would forever blame Jack's easy-going nature to talk to anyone. And the toon passenger they have the misfortune to ride with before. The old toon had talked about the glory days of two lady detective sisters who defended toons from heinous crimes. Jack had listened wide-eyed at the daring duo's adventures.

Just to make him agree to come with her to the library, they both went here like some kind of a tourist destination.

She opened the portfolio lying around the table. Yellowed newspaper clippings where pasted in the colored paper, proving toons innocent of theft and even espionage. There was even one of rescuing kidnapped nieces of Donna Duck.

Rose stood up straighter, inhaling determinedly. What they're up to was also kind of a detective work. Researching for their father had both been hard and easy.

Once that their mother was okay with them going out on their own, Rose wanted to go to ToonTown Library, much to Jack chagrin.

Rose rolled her eyes. It just made sense to go there. All they have to do was filter through magazines and newspapers from present and go backwards. Jack had looked at her as though she told him they should run through a field of cacti instead.

At least he was more bearable when they were watching Aunt Mina's cartoon shorts in her home theater. It was nice, seeing their father in some of the scenes. But he was acting in there, it's not like-

"I'm bored!"

Rose raised a perfectly shaped brow. " _Arrête ça_. You're the one who said we should visit the detectives."

She eyed the dusty end of the huge office table. It looked like it was untouched as though whoever use that end was gone for a long time.

"Yeah, well, they're not here," Jack said, hands deep in his pockets as he walked back to her.

Her brow raised higher when he went passed her and walked around the office table.

"Don't you dare touch anything."

He looked at her with innocent, blue eyes. "What? It's not like they'll kno-"

Something caught his eyes. "Hey, is that our father?"

With long fingers, he plucked a photo peeping out from one of the folders. He flicked it over to take a better look.

Blue eyes widened and Jack felt ice.

Dark, cold ice.

* * *

 **France, 1952**

"Then we clap hands together like this…"

"Uh-huh."

"Then like this…"

"Uh-huh."

"Then we go faster and faster until the one that finished last wins!"

"Oh, _oui_!"

Rhoda once walked into a room when she found her four-year-old twins playing patty-cake. Calmly, she asked them where they learned it. They told her they saw some of the black and white toons playing it. Rhoda then gave them some toys to distract them and told them not to play patty-cake on public.

Then while they were asleep, she panicked for the innocence of her children over a long-distance phone call to Mina. It would cost her a huge phone bill after, but she didn't care.

A few years later, Jack and Rose would learn that 1910s toons who have no private gender parts, patty-cake was the closest thing they have for sex. Decades after gendered toons were drawn and born; patty-cake had become a serious form of flirtation in cartoon culture due to its history.

In a wordless conversation where they avoided each other's eyes, they vowed never to speak of that incident again.

 **End of Chapter 2**


	4. The Sins of the Father

**ToonTown, Mina's Manor, 1962**

A self-forgetful man is taken care by the winds of destiny.

Mina sighed, cigarette smoke coming out of her mouth.

Stupid fortune cookie that nearly choked her. But the bit of paper inside of it made sense, reflecting on how well Rhoda had done all these years. If self-forgetful could be coined for being silly.

Mina rolled her eyes. Rhoda have academically dim moments but she wasn't that stupid.

She shook her head, still unable to believe how a single mother in a foreign land was able to raise two children on her own.

Rhoda never asked for financial assistance from her despite the fact that Baby Hermina was a toon millionaire (her damn cute face was in almost every infant commercial and billboard for 65 years). Mina simply didn't offer out of respect.

Mina leaned back to on her master chair, enjoying the little quiet time she have. Rhoda was out meeting that sack-of-diapers, Rose and Jack went out to ToonTown. Ever since they came, the noise level of the house had dramatically increased. Rhoda was quite a chatterbox, Jack could never stay still and Rose got some sass whenever Jack picked a fight with her.

A wry grin played in her lips, remembering when she waited for the arrival of her friend and her niece and nephew. She was waiting inside the limo parked outside the tunnel to ToonTown. Tired of waiting (she was never patient to begin with) she got out of the limo.

That's when Rhoda appeared and flung herself to Mina.

They must have been a sight, a two-feet tall infant with a rabbit twice her height happily curled up in her arms. Mina had immediately reacted –yelling and cursing. But it had covered the smile at seeing her friend again. She did have another reputation to keep besides being a giggling babe on screen.

Mina took another long inhale of her cigarette, delicately holding her cigarette holder. Some people never change. Rhoda was still a child in heart. But something… was added.

There was something weary in her gaze, especially when the children weren't around.

She chuckled. There had also been some added steel, remembering Rhoda's determined attitude to move on.

Her friend had come out as a survivor –a loving mother who moved on.

She couldn't be any prouder for her.

* * *

 **Hollywood, 1962, Day 5 in Hollywood**

The apprehension from Rose was near to perceptible.

She almost had to jog to keep up with her brother's strides. Her emerald eyes looked sideways at Jack who was eerily silent.

She shivered, remembering what happened.

 _"Hey, is that our father?"_

 _Rose looked up to see Jack flipped a photo to see it better._

 _The room temperature suddenly dropped. Rose curled into herself, pulling her jacket closer to her. Despite the sudden chill, she looked around, wondering where it's coming from…_

 _"Jack?"_

 _Her brother was standing frozen on the spot, his eyes were two darkened stones over the photo. The hand that was holding it was shaking, tightening against the paper._

 _"Jack!"_

 _His head snapped up and he calmly handed the photo to her. Rose took it with a quizzical expression before glancing at it._

 _Her hand flew to her mouth with a gasp and she reflexively leaned away from her other hand that was holding it._

 _Their father…_

 _"Is that real?" he demanded._

Rose bowed her head. She had looked at it under a magnifying glass, trying to see even a hint of a white line around his form indicating he had been drawn on a photo and was retaken again. There was none. She had scoured over the folders until she found the file containing his name. It was a mess, but she finally found a group of typewritten papers containing the story of the picture.

 _Her throat went dry._

 _"What does it say?"_

 _Her hands gripped the report tighter. She looked up and realized that she won't be able to tone down anything for him. They knew each other that well._

 _"The report was written by one detective," she said hollowly. "Someone had hired her to get evidence of_ Maman's _philandering husband since it's affecting her performance as a star."_

 _She flipped through the pages. There was even a gossip column about a Mr. Rhoda Rabbit having a date with Miss Martha Acme, a rich businesswoman._

 _Jack then strode out, his newsboy cap back on his head._

They walked in silence. The detective's office (briefly, she wondered what happened to the other one) was located in the human city so they have to travel quite a bit to get there.

It had taken her by surprise when Jack projected his mood –even more that he projected chill. She had always imagined that if he would ever project, it would be angry fire.

But…

She glanced at him. Jack never brood. Jack was quick to anger but also quick to forget. But until now, his eyes were glaring ahead with cold clarity. He said nothing when they went out of the building and was even more eerily silent when they hopped off the train car.

Rose shook her head. Twin or not, this was something that she couldn't snap him out of. From what she could tell, he didn't even want to be.

There was a growl and she looked up to see that they were now approaching Acme Studios.

The air around him blurred with frost. This time, Rose touched his arm.

"Keep walking," she said. They crossed the street and walked on the opposite sidewalk of the offending building. But the building itself was a landmark that they're almost back to ToonTown.

Hopefully, they'd get back and confront their mother before-

"Mr. Krupnik! What can you say about actors striking against toons stealing their jobs?"

Both twins froze.

Across the road, they could see paparazzi hovering around a tall figure exiting the building. Flashes of cameras popped around him as questions flew.

Rose stared at the man that was their father. He was just as elegant in the photos and shorts that they've seen. But he was too far to see if she has his eyes.

Her hand that was holding his sleeve was suddenly empty. A blur zoomed across the road-

"JACK! DON'T!"

* * *

 **Hollywood, Valiant and Valiant Private Investigators Office, 1950**

Did she believe him? Even for just one moment?

Hell, no.

But it's been three years since the "How-the-hell-did-that-ended up-with-that" case. AKA, RR (Rhoda Rabbit) case.

And that case was closed.

She most certainly did not want to open it up again for a hussy for a husband asking for its evidence.

Especially a toon.

A bitter laugh came out her lips. Toons were wacky and funny. Toons were made to make other people laugh.

 _Please_.

She didn't want any toons bothering her anymore. Especially after what happened to Terrie.

A figure loomed over the frosted glass of her office door. Her brows rose at the certainly masculine form that hesitated for a moment on the opposite side.

The door creaked.

"Miss Valiant."

Emerald eyes, alluring and mysterious, regarded her across the room. There was a click when he closed the door behind him. His bangs fall over one eye, coincidentally seductive.

Edna steeled herself behind a face of indifference. Why did she, along with other idiotic women, find ink and paint attractive?

"Mister Krupnik."

Long legs, like graceful strokes of charcoal, prowled –no, walked, she meant walked- toward her.

"Where are they?"

She tossed him a jaded look. "Where's the money first?"

His hand slipped underneath his jacket and (Edna scowled when his eyes never left her) took something from his chest pocket.

Her eyes regarded the check he was holding. It was real paper.

"Where did you get that?" she asked, suspicious. Toons were commonly paid in toon paper checks where they could convert it in the ToonTown Bank.

"In my new employment," was his smooth reply.

She snorted as she took it, looking for fraud. It was real. Her brows rose at the sum inside it.

"You've got your own bank account outside ToonTown?" she asked, skeptic. "That's a very special treatment they're giving you."

If Jesse grasped what she was implying, he didn't show it.

"Where are the photos?"

Edna held up a larger envelope. Showed the contents then closed it again. Jesse reached to take it-

"Ah-ah-aah," Edna said, pulling it from his reach. "I have some questions I need to ask."

The emerald orbs darkened. Edna ignored the chill radiating from his stony gaze.

"To whom did you get this check exactly?"

He didn't even blink. "Martha Acme."

She cocked her head. "Acme is your new employer?"

Her silent conclusion settled around them like a strong stench.

"I don't even want to know," she muttered.

Still standing, he turned to the dusty memorabilia where Terrie's table resided. "You don't understand how hard it is to be drawn looking the way I do," he said before regarding her coolly with an indifferent gaze that pierced her soul.

She put her elbows on her table, steeping her fingers. "Yeah? Well, you don't understand how hard it is being a woman looking the way you do."

His gaze never changed. "I'm not bad, Ms. Valiant. I'm just drawn this way."

Emerald eyes glanced at the photo of her and her sister. "Just as all toons are not bad since one killed her. You got no right to judge."

Something pulled her from her seat. Annoyance, anger, indignation –she didn't care. She was ready to throw his ass out of her office. How dare he. How _dare_ he…

"I know enough," she said, walking around her table and prodding him hard on the chest. "A singer who married an A-list toon star and threw her away when something bigger came along!"

He suddenly loomed over her and her tongue froze. The heat in his eyes was dangerous –an exhilarating kind dangerous that had the cold edge of a knife. Good lawd, where were all these metaphors coming from?

Before she could berate herself for sounding like a cheesy, romantic novel about bad boys; he leaned closer, angling his head to the side. Those ginger red bangs of his shifted.

"I'm not bad, Ms. Valiant," he said in a low voice, "But it's time to be what people expect me to be."

He stepped back and walked away.

The spell broke when the door clicked close and Edna exhaled, realizing she was holding her breath. She looked at her empty hand, the photos gone.

That prick must have plucked it from her, when he leaned in close. That cad.

She smirked. Only a dumb detective wouldn't have one left just in case.

* * *

 **Hollywood, 1962**

Fifteen years.

What have they been doing in the last fifteen years?

He shifted the photo between his fingers.

What were they like?

The young man in the photo looked like a younger version of him –except Jack had rabbit ears… and his mother's eyes. The doe beside him looked more grown up and beautiful. Underneath her long lashes were his green eyes.

They were his and Rhoda's children alright.

 _Rhoda hesitated for a moment, watching him stare at the photo. "Uhh… you can also have their paint longevity tested if you want to know if they're born and not drawn in case you don't beli-"_

 _"Don't need to," he replied frankly. "I know you wouldn't be here in your own accord."_

 _He continued, ignoring the way her eyes widened and her mouth tightened. "They're the ones who want to meet me, correct?"_

 _She nodded with a look of soldiering on. "Yes."_

 _They both agreed that he should meet the twins on the same place at the same time on the weekend._

 _"What did you told them about me?" he asked._

 _For the first time, Rhoda met his eyes. His heart thumped._

 _"I want them to give you a chance to know you," she simply said. "I just said it didn't work out."_

 _The understatement of the century. Jesse just nodded._

 _After that, they exchanged addresses and contact numbers just in case._

 _"What happened to the house?" she asked, reading the unfamiliar address._

 _"I sold it."_

 _"Oh."_

 _Silence._

 _She hopped out of her seat. "Well, I guess that's it."_

 _"Wait."_

 _She flinched when his arm reached towards her. But relaxed instantly when she realized he was just handing her back the photo._

 _"Keep it," she said. She must have noticed a change in him for she smiled apologetically. "It's yours."_

She didn't want to see him. That was obvious. Even now, she was an open book.

He firmly closed the doors inside his mind. Enough about her. He already knew where his mind would lead to if his thoughts continued.

Jesse stood up and looked out from the window of his office. From his view, he could see almost the whole studios.

There was one thing that RK Maroon had done right.

Her studios didn't make toons. She would hire them. Maroon had given job opportunities to toons whose artists abandoned them. And they were a lot of them.

Jesse placed the fountain pen back to his drawer.

However, Maroon's goodwill was limited by what she could profit. Toons cost less than human actors. If Martha Acme had sold her land to someone else instead of having toons inherit it, ToonTown would be gone and so would Maroon's profit.

What about the black-and-whites? What about the washed-outs? True, some were not as smart and may not share the same thinking of humans, but they were still capable.

Jesse stood out and began preparing to leave, deciding not to bring anything.

He had enough of humans using toons, disposing toons and drawing more, repeating the same vicious cycle.

His secretary looked up, an ex-choir toon girl, as he opened the door of his office. He gave her a nod before leaving. Striding through the corridors, he inhaled, bracing himself.

The nail that sticks out would soon get hammered. He was open with his opinions on toon-human equality. Someone should be. The media were indignant of the toon who was getting too big for his breeches.

And yet…

"Mr. Krupnik! What can you say about actors striking against toons stealing their jobs?"

They couldn't get enough.

Cameras flashed. Human and toon reporters rushed to meet him. Jesse stared straight ahead, plowing through their harried questions and bobbing bulbs of light. He neared his car, his hand on the handle.

The thing with hordes following you was that when you stop, everyone stops.

He paused. There was a moment of silence but the cameras kept flashing.

Suddenly a woman screamed. Jesse looked up as everyone hurriedly backed away from-

An explosion of pain.

There was a excruciating crash. Jesse opened his eyes he didn't remember closing, finding himself on the ground. Numbly, his cheek stung something horrible. There was a ringing in his ears as he slowly picked himself up, looking for the one who hit him.

Bulbs flashed against a silhouette of a young man… with rabbit ears.

But through the shadowed form, he could see Rhoda's eyes.

Rhoda's eyes full of hatred.

The young man stood there, ignoring the flashing cameras and reporters as they stood in a circle around them. Jesse stared, his heart stopping.

A girl's voice screamed.

"Jack!"

* * *

 **Maroon Cartoon Studios, 1946**

Mina actually thought Rhoda was boyfriend-proof.

It's not that Rhoda wasn't a catch. It's just that Rhoda was so platonically childlike to almost everybody; it's hard to imagine her grasping the concept of romance.

And she was right. Mina had been there when the rabbit was faced with a giant sudden uncertainty when someone point blank told her that he's interested in her. Jesse Krupnik of all people.

"Jesse! Catch!"

The humanoid toon turned around only to have something soft and fluffy flung into him. Adjusting their added weight, a small smile formed in his lips when he found Rhoda in his arms.

"What?" his girlfriend asked, mirth brightening her blue eyes. "Were you expecting a ball?"

Mina wrinkled her nose. It hurt not to roll her eyes.

He was about to respond but he closed his eyes, humming, when she rubbed her nose on his. "Actually, this is better," he replied after.

"Oh gross! Get a room, you two," she muttered, walking by past them. She shook her head.

Rhoda fell and she fell hard when she reciprocated that guy's feelings. She's almost as bad as his fangirls.

Jesse, who was never a touchy person, practically basked at her friend's kamikaze hugs.

A mismatched yet disgustingly happy couple.

It's not that she was jealous. Heck no. She had a lot of boy toys to know enough when people were after something else.

Because why else would a guy date a middle aged lady in an infant's body?

Jesse could be one of those people.

Because why else would a humanoid date a Hollywood success of a rabbit?

* * *

 **Hollywood, 1962, Day 5 in Hollywood**

"Jack!" Grabbing his hat on the asphalt, Rose ran across the road.

It was chaotic. The reporters went nuts, surrounding Jack and their father in a circle. She tried to get through the throng of people and one of them spotted her.

"Are you with the rabbit boy?"

FLASH!

Her eyes watered against the brightness but Rhoda stubbornly tried to look for him.

"He looks like Mr. Krupnik, is he his son?"

"You're beautiful, what's your name?"

The others were surrounding two tall figures in red, before they got obscured by harsh popping lights.

FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!

"Are you his sister?"

"Are you related to Rhoda Rabbit?"

Blinded, Rose tried to block away the cameras hovering around her and screamed louder. "Jack!"

There was a rush of wind and Rose found herself in Jack's arms, his brother glaring at the flashing lights.

With one last loathing look at their father, Jack sped off home.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1947**

Three days. Rhoda was absent for three days.

Unbelievable.

Mina shook her head, scowling at the house before her. She knew Rhoda could be very affected when someone's mad at her. But Rhoda never skipped day jobs just because Mina threw a diva tantrum and the director threw a fit whenever Rhoda made mistakes.

The "baby" jumped out of her limo and stomped towards the door with her short legs. Her angry speech was already being written, checked and signed especially for her rabbit friend when she rapped impatiently at the door.

"Rhoda!"

No answer. The house was strangely silent.

"Rhoda! Come out of there!"

Still silence.

"RHODAAAA!"

Just when she was about to stomp her foot and give up, the door opened.

"Mina."

The "baby" scowled all the way up to his face. "Where's Rhoda?" she asked impatiently.

His face went unchanged. "She left."

"What?"

He proceeded to walk by past her. "She left ToonTown. I checked on the Town Hall."

His words reached her numbly. "Waitwaitwait! She just left? She's not in ToonTown anymore? Why?" she asked in confusion, following after him.

Mina had more luck getting a response out of a rock.

A flash of insight stopped her in her tracks. "What did you do?" she growled. She never believe in gossip but…

He paused, tossing over his shoulder a cold look. "You think I did it?"

* * *

 **1962, ToonTown, Mina's Manor, Day 5 in Hollywood**

Rose pushed herself off Jack's when he reached the front door.

"I hope you're okay, brother," she coolly said, her back a cold wall as she walked inside the manor.

Jack closed the door behind him. "What? You're angry at me now?"

She whirled around to face him, her eyes a cold chartreuse. "That was very stupid of you. What were you thinking?" she asked; the air around her becoming frigid.

"What he deserved," he replied back coolly. "I don't care if there are other people out there."

"That's not what I'm talking about," she said lowly. "You-"

"Hey, kids! I got some great news!" _Maman'_ s voice called out.

None of them looked up to see that their mother and Aunt Mina appeared.

"Kids? What's going on?" _Maman_ looked at each of them worriedly. The air between the two was tensed.

"Jack punched our father across the face in front of the paparazzi," Rose calmly stated, her hard eyes never leaving Jack.

Rhoda's head snapped to her son, her eyes wide. "What?!"

There was silence as they waited to hear more but the twins continued glaring at each other. Rhoda looked in panic at her old friend.

Mina shrugged. "Well, he did have it coming for 15 years."

"Mina! This is not the time!"

Jack broke the glaring match to turn to their mother. "I changed my mind. I don't want to meet him."

It irked him when her ears drooped. "Are you sure?" she asked worriedly.

"I still want to meet him," Rose replied.

"You're kidding, right?" Jack said in disbelief. "We both saw him play patty-cake with a middle-aged lady and you still want to meet him?"

Their mother clutched her ears. Horror dawning in her eyes as reality sank in. "You... what!?"

Rose reluctantly held up the photo. "We found this in an ex-toon detective's office," she said apologetically.

Even from afar, by the way their mother reacted; they knew she recognized the photo. Their mother covered her face with both hands.

"I didn't want you to find out like this," she mumbled.

Rose began to approach her. "It's okay, _Maman_."

"It's not okay," someone said coldly.

All attention turned to happy-go-lucky Jack. "I changed my mind. I'm going with Rose."

Rose raised a brow. "You just said, you weren't going to."

His look became stony. "I don't trust that guy with any of my family."

"If you're going to be this unpleasant, I'd rather you'd stay at home," she replied, ice edging her voice.

"Rose…" their mother said, trying to placate.

The room temperature dropped with Jack's voice. "After what he did to _Maman_? I can't believe you're choosing him over her."

Rhoda looked in surprise as their breaths began to fog. "Jack…"

Rose stared hard at him, the air frosting white between them. "She told us to give him a chance and I'm giving him one."

"If you want to meet him so badly, why don't you go live with him?" he asked calmly but frost began to spread beneath his feet.

"Children…" Rhoda pleaded, looking back and forth between them. Jack hit his father. The paparazzi saw them. Jack and Rose, for the first time, were actually fighting for real.

When did everything go wrong?

Frost flowered the walls as Rose's hands slowly clenched. "It's not like that and you know it."

"Is it?" he asked with derisive chill.

The temperature drooped as their glares intensified. Rhoda yanked her ears and pressed them hard to her face as the frost became stalactites, jagged and sharp.

"You're the one who badly wants to meet him. I can't believe your daddy issues are more important," he continued.

"You're one to talk," she softly said. The ice on the floor cracked.

"ENOUGH!"

A burst of fire engulfed the whole room. Everybody coughed at the sudden steam inside the hallway. Only Rhoda stood, smoke coming out of her.

The fire in her eyes were gone but the look she levelled them was still burning. "Both of you. To your rooms. Now."

The twins gave each other one last glare before they both walked out, pointedly ignoring each other.

Mina blinked, swiping away remnants of steam. She looked at Rhoda who was still standing on the same spot, breathing deeply.

"Mina," she began, "I'm sorry you have to see that. It seems like your prediction is going to come true."

The "baby" nodded but then Rhoda took a deep breathe, her eyes still steely.

"I need to think. Go get yourself some milk and cookies. I'll talk to you later."

Without another word, she stepped outside.

The "baby" stared at the door, left alone in the steaming hallway. It's funny how parenthood could change people.

"Sure, Mom."

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1947**

Their house.

Jesse paused, finding himself in front of it. Strange, he didn't remember anything between leaving Leroy's flat and going home.

She had probably seen yesterday's gossip column.

What would he do?

What would she do?

She probably noticed something already. He'd been coming home late to get closer to Ms. Acme, getting up earlier than her so as not to face her. He had to be distant to do what he must.

He closed his eyes tight against the memory of Rhoda's open, trusting expression.

With a firm resolve, he unlocked the door with his key.

"Rhoda? I'm home," he announced quietly.

No answer. Rhoda's ears were sharp. She'd usually show up when she hears him.

"Rhoda?"

He paused, looking at the toon furniture. They all looked sad, their eyes following him.

Something was wrong.

Jesse strode past the living room and into the dining room. The first thing he saw was a single white envelope on the dining table. Strange, Rhoda would usually put the mail in the kitchen.

He picked it up and read it.

* * *

 **ToonTown, Mina's Manor, 1962, Day 5 in Hollywood**

Jack glared at the wall, frost spreading on its surface like a plague.

Already, he felt disgusted with himself.

He came from that man?

His eyes stared hard at his hands that were unlike his mother's hands, tanned and large. He would never be able to look in the mirror again without seeing the face of their "father."

Jack made a sound of disgust. Their father was a cheating bastard. Where was he when _Maman_ raised them alone? Did he run off without a single glance to be with someone rich?

The frost on the wall became larger.

 _He couldn't sleep._

 _Eight-year-old Jack got up, glancing at his sleeping sister. Grabbing his stuffed toy, he tiptoed outside the room, looking furtively at the dark corners._

 _Only the kitchen light shone. Jack approached as quietly as he could._

 _"_ Maman _?" his blue eyes peeped from the doorway._

 _He could see their mother asleep, her floppy ears spread among the many papers that gathered on the table. One hand held loosely on the pencil against papers riddled with many numbers._

 _"Ma…" he shook her awake._

 _She sat up abruptly, looking around. "What? Wha- Jack?" she asked in confusion._

 _"I can't sleep," he simply stated. "Can you also sleep now with us? Aren't you going to work tom'row?"_

 _His mother smiled. "Aaw… Jack, I still have some things to do."_

 _Jack glanced apprehensively to the pile of papers. Most of them had a lot of numbers and the word "bill" on it. Bills always had something to do with other people wanting her money._

 _She must have seen him looking worried because she tipped his chin towards her. "Hey," she beamed, "_ Maman _can handle this."_

His fists closed tighter. There were perpetual edges of exhaustion around her and sometimes, her near verge to tears at the stress of raising them alone. And no matter how bright the smiles she made to cover them, Jack could see –no, could feel right through her.

Rose didn't get it. She couldn't be that unfeeling not to feel what their mother went through for them - _on her own_.

"Jack?" a soft voice said through the door. The door quietly clicked open. Jack hadn't bothered to lock it.

"I got this from him, didn't I?" Jack asked as soon as she had approached him.

Their mother glanced at the ice covering the wall he was glaring at. She shrugged. "Well, he could also be cold when he's mad."

"I'm not going to meet him, if that's why you're here," he stubbornly said, remembering her disappointed face when he told her that before.

"I know you're mad, Jack-"

"Why didn't you tell us?!" he cried, standing up. "He left you for a rich old lady!"

There was a twinge of hurt in her eyes but it was gone so soon, he wasn't sure if he saw it in the first place. She placed a hand on his arm.

"Jack," she said quietly, "I'm not expecting you to let it go so easily-

"And you did?" he asked bitterly.

"You and Rose are more important."

What anger that was rising in his throat died.

She smiled at him, looking both wise and vulnerable and weary and tender, it hurt Jack to look at her. How could she do it? How could she make everything simple that it all boils down to...

He tore away his gaze.

...love?

It had hurt her too.

His lips pressed together, hating how they want to tremble. He inhaled deeply. The man that played the part of bringing him and his sister in this world? He never deserved her.

Rhoda sighed when he didn't respond. Her son could be so protective to a fault.

"Don't hold on to grudges, it doesn't do you any good," she let go of his arm, "I'll go check on your sister."

"Ma…"

Rhoda was suddenly embraced, feet dangling in the air and she smiled. He felt her pat his shoulder comfortingly as though he's a little child all over again. Jack tucked his chin over her head, wanting to draw strength from her yet protect her at the same time.

He vowed that bastard will never hurt his mother again.

"And apologize to your sister; you know she could be sensitive."

Jack groaned.

"Also when you two make up, there's something that I have to tell you both."

Jack groaned louder. It's just like their mother to hold a carrot over his nose.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1947**

 _Jesse…_

Jesse climbed the stairs, taking two at a time, his heart racing.

 _I know I'm going to babble again if I don't get straight to the point. You probably noticed the big pile of crumpled papers on the bin and I'm really sorry for the waste and the trash. Garbage day is still days away and anyway, I'm doing it again. (Darnit, Rhoda, get straight to the point!)_

He burst into their bedroom, looking around. In his mind, he could see how ink swelled a blot in the page before continuing the next sentence.

 _I saw the pictures of you and Martha Acme._

The closet doors slammed opened. All of her clothes were gone. The letter on his hand was gripped tighter.

 _There was a lot going on inside my head and chest after that. But through it all, why didn't you tell me?_

The childish scribbles had become shaky then dark. It was as if the hand trembled before writing harder against the paper to control it. He shook his head and ran to the bathroom, panic rising.

 _Remember when you told me about the caged bird? The bird is beautiful; it sings beautifully and yet is imprisoned in an equally beautiful cage. You felt like that bird, you told me._

No one. Her toothbrush wasn't there. Her towel wasn't there.

 _Was I caging you, Jesse? Are you not happy anymore?_

The letters on the last word were blurred as though it got wet by a drop of water. He sped to the attic, looking around.

 _I know we've been getting distant these past weeks. I just thought we're both just busy. I didn't know you weren't happy with me anymore._

Her suitcase was gone. Gritting his teeth, he ran down the stairs.

 _I'm going to let you go now, Jesse. If you're even reading this, I've already left ToonTown. Don't worry. I legally left. You don't have to report me to the Missing Toons Department._

The kitchen, the living room, the closet; desperately trying to find a trace of her. The letter continued inside his head, almost unreadable, scratched up and riddled with lines as though to take back what she had written.

 _I don't know how to say goodbye. It's probably for the best that we don't see each other again. What's the point of saying "I love you so much it hurts and I don't know why I still do" when I don't think you want to hear it?_

The front door slammed open and Jesse stopped, looking around outside, the suburbs empty. The letter fell from his limp hand. The wind fluttered, revealing its last sentence.

 _Just be happy, Jesse. I know you've been through a lot._

* * *

 **ToonTown, Mina's Manor, 1962, Day 5 in Hollywood**

On the room across Jack's bedroom door, a lonely figure stood facing the window.

Was she being stupid, selfish, wanting to meet him?

 _"After what he did to_ Maman _? I can't believe you're choosing him over her."_

Rose clenched her fists, her gloves straining.

 _"You're the one who badly wants to meet him. I can't believe your daddy issues are more important."_

Of course, he didn't understand. He didn't understand feeling the odd one around them. He didn't understand feeling left out when he and their mother seem to have more connection then she could ever have with her. He didn't have the invisible gap with _Maman_ because of contrasting personalities.

As sweet and loving as their mother was, _Maman_ just couldn't get her.

Their mother had moved on, Rose could see that. _Maman_ was never the type to hold grudges. But was she being selfish, still wanting to meet the man who hurt their mother? Shouldn't she be righteously angry for her?

There was a soft knock. "Dear? Can I come in?"

Sighing, Rose strode over to open the door to reveal their mother.

Rhoda smiled at her before giving her a hug.

"I'm so sorry you have to find it this way," their mother said over Rose's shoulder.

Rhoda held her daughter by the shoulders with the most curious expression. "How did you end up with that photo by the way?"

Rose was about to answer but Rhoda just hugged her back again. "Never mind, with you two together, I should have known."

"That Jack is going to go berserk and assault our father in front of people?" Rose asked dryly.

She felt her mother freeze before Rhoda burst out laughing.

"And who said you don't have a sense of humor?" her mother asked, giving her one last squeeze.

Rose felt a surge of pride but instantly looked solemn.

"Jack is right," she said to her mother, "I'm being selfish."

"What do you mean?"

"That I still want to meet him even after seeing that photo."

"Hey," her mother gripped her shoulders firmly. "That ship has sailed. Your father and I are practically divorced."

She looked at her daughter straight in the eye. "This is about you, your brother and your father. Jack will come around. You can still meet your father."

Rhoda felt something glowed inside her chest when her daughter smiled at her words -not a polite one but an actual one. " _Merci, Maman_."

Their mother sat down on the edge of the bed and Rose sat beside her. "Rose, I know we don't think the same or see the same. I got the feeling your father will be able to relate with you more."

Rose's heart sank with guilt at her dissatisfaction. Perhaps, their mother did understand her more than she thought. "Oh Ma, I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to apologized," Rhoda replied. She gave her a one-arm hug, nuzzling her cheek on her daughter's head. She the ran her hand through Rose's similar floppy ear before speaking again.

"And if he tries to take my baby away from me," all humor suddenly vanished in her face. "There will be war."

Rose laughed, albeit a little nervously. Their mother could be quite scary when determined.

"After you and Jack make up, there is something else that I have to tell you both," she said, giving her one last hug before standing up.

Rose resisted a groan. Trust her mother to dangle a carrot before their noses to make them make up.

* * *

Rhoda closed the door behind her and looked ahead determinedly.

There was one thing left to do tonight.

* * *

 **France, 1960**

Jack and Rose sat in the dark among other kid toons. Spotlights suddenly flashed on the empty stage.

"When you're on stage…"

They all jumped when Rhoda appeared beside them in the dark.

"All of the spotlights are turned to you and the darkness covers your audience."

There was a whirl and the entire class found themselves on the stage, gazing at the harsh light and beyond that was an abyss.

"The audience is silent. But are they bored? Impatient? Politefully attentive? How would you know?" Rhoda said to her class.

She turned off the spotlights and turned on the lights of the room.

"One way to know, class," she said, "is to feel the air."

They all looked at her quizzically. But some nodded.

"You'll develop it later the longer you perform. The goal in the stage is to connect to the audience. The second one is to make them feel what you want them to feel. You won't be able to achieve the second one without achieving the first."

She laughed. "Sometimes, feeling the air can be very handy outside the theater."

"Like where?" a cub toon piped up.

"Well, like when people are mad but they don't want to show it," Rhoda said. "Or to people who are sad or scared but don't have anyone to tell to."

A rabbit ear twitched and Jack felt the sudden shift in their mother. Rose glanced at her twin when he cocked his ear. He just felt something, she knew. The problem was Jack wouldn't get why. She looked back at their mother to decipher.

But Rhoda shook her head as though trying to forget something. Everybody jumped when her cute, squeaky voice suddenly became a bullfrog's.

"Alright kids, who wants to learn how to sing like a fat man in an opera?"

Jack grinned at Rose excitedly while the rest of the class hooted with laughter. But Rose thoughtfully looked back. Jack simply shrugged. He knew they'd be talking about what he felt and what she thought later on to make sense of it.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1962**

The young humanoid had looked at him with Rhoda's eyes, his gaze an arctic hate.

Jesse shook his head from the memories that afternoon. Even in the window's reflection through the night sky, he could see the sizable bruise in his cheekbone that was still not going away.

He didn't have to hear a girl call the young man's name. He already knew who he was. Jack had then vanished with near-rabbit speed at the sound of her voice.

He had been able to get a glimpse of a rabbit girl in Jack's arms before Jack gave him one last glare and disappeared. Jesse then quietly but quickly escaped the distracted reporters after.

The way Jack had looked at him; it was like no words existed excruciating enough to stab him with.

DING-DONG!

Jesse grimaced. The last thing he needed was company. But if he ignored it, the accursed doorbell would just keep ringing.

Sighing, he strode over to make the visitor go away. He opened it, ready to get rid of-

All-too-familiar blue eyes looked up to him.

"Jesse…" Rhoda said.

 **End of Chapter 3**


	5. One-Angled Truths and Lies

**What is real?**

 _She didn't cover her tracks well enough._

 _Breaths were becoming ragged, low-hanging branches swiped and snagged her cloak. Exhaustion was gradually taking a toll on her, making her legs feel like lead. Rhoda ran. But she stumbled more after –how long was she running again?_

 _Sharp rabbit ears could still hear the persistent rhythmic clop of hooves, egging her to move. She knew what he was trying to do. He was hunting her down like an animal until she would be beaten by her own exhaustion._

 _Rabbit legs stumbled and stopped before turning around._

 _No more._

 _The drum of hooves slowed. The horse neighed, tossing its head as it reared back. Shadows played under the hood of the rider. If he noticed the rise and fall of her shoulders, he gave no response. Rhoda stood still on the spot as the hooded figure slid down the horse with masculine grace. His cloak parted, revealing uniform underneath._

 _The moon shone above them as they stood face-to-face._

 _She drew her sword in a flash of metal –shorter than normal and reminded Mina more of a lengthy dagger. Edna had taught her a little. With bravado she didn't feel, her thoughts focused on her friends who were far braver than the cowardly rabbit._

 _The hooded figure watched her for a moment. The rabbit jumped when he suddenly draw his own sword. Under the shadows of his hood, his eyes took note on her sword that she held more like a shield than a weapon. He swished his sword before flowing into a swordsman's stance._

 _Rhoda jerked her sword higher, arms tensed, when his sword slapped hers on both sides. He was testing her. Before she could recover, the metal swoop to her side and she blocked. Like liquid steel, the sword came at her again and again. She blocked reactively, her ears curling with every clang and hiss of metal._

 _She sidestepped and he turned around, his sword following with deadly grace. This time, she attacked._

Go away.

Go away.

Go away!

 _However, the hooded figure stepped back with every slash of her sword. Edna had taught her too little, too late. She may have the rabbit reflexes but he was far more skillful._

 _Rhoda barely had time to flinch when he counterattacked, their swords meeting with a clash. Her arms strained to hold her ground as she felt his strength push her sword aside. Brute strength won and she suddenly found his sword an inch from her chest, her empty hands raised up in surrender._

 _They stood still, the wind whispering in the trees._

 _She turned tail and ran._

 _"OOF!"_

 _Something heavy collided on top of her and Rhoda struggled in his arms. Her legs thrashed uselessly in the air as he stood up. Her free arm flew and her elbow connected to his side. He grunted but his grip around her remained. Her elbow flew again and one arm caught it, trapping it against her side. She screamed._

 _"NO! No! Let me go! Let me go!"_

 _The last word came out as a sob. Her throat tightened. This was all she was good at –cowering and running away. She couldn't go back. It's going to kill her. She just knew it. Her body stopped struggling as her eyes blurred. She bowed her head in defeat, unable to stop sobbing._

 _This was it. She was going to die._

 _"Please…"_

 _She looked up numbly. That wasn't her._

 _The soldier's breath felt warm in her ear. His lips move against her temple, almost like a kiss._

 _"Come back."_

RRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNGGGG!

"Wha-!"

There was a horrible crash and Rhoda opened her eyes, wondering why she's on the floor tangled with the sheets.

Groaning and stumbling with her blanket still twisted around her, Rhoda switched off her alarm clock.

She looked directly in the mirror beside the bed. Her head could be funny sometimes, and not in a good way.

"He's gone," she firmly told herself. "He's gone."

Rhoda looked worriedly on her abdomen. "I hope you're not hurt in there."

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1962**

"You're hurt," Rhoda said, her hand flying to her mouth in dismay.

He stood frozen in the doorway. She moved as though to reach up but stopped.

"Are ya goin' to let us in or not?" a voice said irritably. Mina popped out from behind Rhoda, tapping her foot impatiently.

Jesse stepped aside to let them in and they went inside. The "baby" gave him a look reserved for yesterday's diapers.

"I'm so sorry for what my son did, Jesse," Rhoda said, turning to face him once they're inside. "They somehow found out and Jack got mad, I should have-"

"He's my son too, Rhoda. You don't have to apologize for him to me."

Rhoda paused and if Jesse saw her surprise, he didn't respond. She took a deep breath.

"What Jack did is irreversible," she said.

His hand hovered over his cheek. "It's just a bruise, Rhoda, it will go away."

"Too bad," Mina muttered.

Her rabbit ears swished as she shook her head. "I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the paparazzi. You know how humans are when they hear about toons being violent outside the set."

His brows raised in thought. She's right; there would be more than just a scandal. Rhoda hopped to the sofa's arm rest to be more at his eye level.

"I want to make a public apology in Jack's behalf," she said. "Can you arrange one in Acme Studios?"

At her cerulean gaze, blue eyes darkened by hatred, sparked in his memories. "I can arrange one tomorrow afternoon."

The unease went away with a small smile. "Thank you, Jesse."

He only nodded wordlessly. Hate was unbefitting for those eyes but didn't he deserve hate?

Her eyes caught the sight of a small glass jar on the table. The glass was real, not toony with a real paintbrush beside it.

"Paint?" she asked, picking it up.

"It's for my bruise," he casually said.

She looked at it. It did match his skin color. For some reason, she glanced at his shoulder when she looked up.

"May I do it for you?" she asked, almost shy.

Jesse stared. She should hate him. She must hate him.

Mina's eyes widened in disbelief then narrowed suspiciously when he nodded. Her gaze followed Jesse when he sat down on the sofa and Rhoda hopped beside him.

The rabbit breathe deeply, her eyes trained to the jar of paint she's stirring with the brush. She brushed the excess on the lip of the jar before turning to him.

Jesse looked ahead when he felt the brush touched his cheek. It was featherlight with short strokes.

His hands momentarily clenched in his lap. She shifted closer as her eyes squinted in concentration. In the corner of his eyes, he could see her mouth move. One side of his face tingled with her breath.

"For Jack and Rose's sake, I hope we could at least be friends, Jesse."

Rhoda dipped the brush back to the jar. The small brush returned to his cheek. He determinedly looked ahead. Fifteen years ago, Rhoda would have used her thumb to spread the color while chattering about fingerpaint.

"Alright."

The brush was gone again. Rhoda had already scooted to a distance, looking at the jar of paint.

Jesse looked down on his lap, unmoving.

Mina looked at Rhoda who was glancing at anywhere but him. Then at Jesse who was as still as a post.

She threw up her hands. "Can we go now?" she demanded, feeling like she was interrupting something.

"Yeah," Rhoda quipped, hastily putting the jar aside.

"Wait," Jesse said, "Someone may have already followed you here."

She looked at him quizzically.

"This building is a first-class high-rise tower, the paparazzi are not allowed here," he stood up, "But some will occasionally disguised themselves and station inside."

Mina nodded with grave experience. "Them twinkies may already have alerted the others waiting outside the entrance."

"That's okay, I'll just pin my ears like a dog again," Rhoda said, her ears folding themselves shorter.

Mina shook her head. "It won't work this time. With paparazzi on alert, they'll assume anything."

The rabbit glanced at the window. "Jesse, do you have a fire escape?"

* * *

Baby Mina shivered in the cold wind. "This is crazy," she managed to say with chattering teeth.

Rhoda beamed. "Don't worry, Mina! It would just be like Cartoon Short # 118."

"You mean the one where you crashed and burned?"

The bunny put her hands akimbo. "I did not crashed and burned. I landed on something that I crashed and burned." She paused in afterthought before correcting herself. "And was still on fire."

"That's comforting."

Jesse remained quiet, his hands in his pockets as he watched them. Rhoda bent over to pick Mina up.

"Rose still wants to meet ya," she said as she turned to Jesse.

He nodded, watching the moonlight play with her white fur.

She gave him a small smile. She knew she didn't make him happy anymore, but for Jack and Rose's sake…

"Well, see ya."

The wind blew and the air exploded with a rainbow horde of balloons. Rhoda held on tight to their strings as she was blown away with Mina in tow.

She could see him give a small wave from afar. Turning her back from the sight, she let the blossom of balloons float them further and further away…

 _He's gone_ , she firmly told herself. _He's gone._

KLANG!

"OW! YOU CRAZY RABBIT!"

Until the balloons snagged on a billboard.

* * *

 **France, 1955**

"You're my favorite sister, Rose!"

At an early age, Rose had learned the art of rolling her eyes. "I'm your only sister, silly."

"Yeah! You'll always be my favorite!"

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, ToonTown, Night 5 in Hollywood**

Jack looked out of the toony night sky, the wind blowing his rabbit ears behind him. Blue eyes looked out from the roof of the manor.

Unable to endure the rambling voice inside his head, he had climbed out of his window for a new perspective.

The rambling voice inside his head was right. He was right. It was Rose who was not making sense. And _Maman_ wanted him to apologize?!

But this… was tiresome. What's the point of being right when he and Rose were like this? He just wished Rose would stop being an idiot. He's supposed to be the idiotic one!

There was a sound of frustration as he threw out his hands in defeat.

It's not good to feel bad.

Jerks who check out his sister and his _Maman_ he could handle. Idiots who remark Playtoon at the sight of his ears he could handle. This clawing, dull, bitter, stupid ache in his chest...

That cheating bastard.

A low growl rumbled in his throat. This feeling wasn't going away in a while.

His eyes slid to an open window below.

Might as well do something about it.

* * *

 **France, 1961**

Fourteen-year-old Jack slouched on his seat on the outside table of a little café.

What on earth was taking his sister so long?

Ever since they were eight, their mother had trusted them to be on their own around their little toon community. By the time they were twelve, she let them go out on their own in the human city. As long as they're together, their mother serenely said –which emphasized that there will be consequences if they were not.

The problem was Rose liked shopping. Jack didn't. At all.

But rules were rules –at least the café served carrot-apple juice.

In his state of misery, he didn't notice that people were turning their heads at the figure approaching him.

Three cartoon toms swiveled their eyes in harmony with the natural sashay of hips before they all whistled in unsion. A moose, stared, oblivious to the tea he was pouring into his pants instead of his cup.

Legs like longstemmed roses catwalked towards the bunny-eared young man.

"I'm here," she said and the air was filled with sighs at the velvety purr of her voice.

The young man remained slouched, as though buttersoft bedroom voices were common occurrences.

" _Enfin_!" he cried. He turned around to face his sister. "Where have you –WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?"

Rose blinked, looking down at the dress she had recently bought. The reddish-pink number had a sweetheart neckline, cinched at the waist and flatters her legs. The elegance of the dress, matched her peek-a-boo bangs that always gave her a touch of mystery. She liked it so much; she bought it after walking out of the dressing room.

She spread her arms a little. "A new dress? _J'aime beaucoup._ "

The grins of the young toms spread a little when her hips cocked to one side.

"That's a dress?" he asked, horrified. The thing didn't even cover her arms and her shoulders and her knees. He immediately death-glared at the toons ogling her. "Hey! What'cha all lookin' at?! _Va te faire voir_!"

"Jack, you don't have to yell," Rose chastised.

He didn't seem to hear her as he took off his jacket.

"Take it!" he declared, shoving the jacket to her.

She scowled. Her dress was perfectly fine. "No."

One of the toms called out. "You shouldn't be yelling at your lover!"

Jack had never wished so hard that he could project emotions. If he could just literally burn with his fiery temper, the idiot would be nothing more than a pile of ash by now.

"She's NOT my girlfriend! _Ta gueule_!"

Without another word, he stormed from them with her hand in tow.

The toms looked at each other. That might explain why the rabbit-eared guy couldn't see the bunny Aphrodite in front of him.

As soon as they were out of sight, Rose yanked away her hand. Jack whirled at her, holding his jacket. What was she thinking walking around in that thing?

"Just take it," Jack said in frustration.

Fourteen-year-old Rose scowled. All she did was buy a dress and Jack was acting like it's the end of the world.

Her rabbit ears could hear feminine titters and she knew some girls were checking out her brother's forearms. She ignored them as much as he was oblivious to them.

Rose put her hands on her hips, wondering when did Jack became such a _fashionista_. "Don't you dare order me around. I am older than you."

"By just two minutes," he retorted.

She mentally shook her head. Jack never had respect for authority. She lifted her chin. "I'm not going to take that."

"Fine," Jack shot back. "I'm giving it to ya."

Before she could speak, he lunged. In whirl of toon tornado, Rose found herself straightjacketed with his coat, the sleeves tied like a giftwrap ribbon in front of her.

"Jack!"

Jack put a hand over his mouth, laughing at the sight of his handiwork.

 _That's it._

"I will not hold back, Jack," she whispered.

He must have noticed she was serious because he suddenly stopped laughing. Rose jerked with surprise when he gave a defeated sigh before kneeling down to her eye level.

"I just want to protect you and _Maman_."

She remembered the three toms that were staring at her. As far as she was concerned, they could look but they mustn't touch. With Jack…

He ran a hand over his rabbit ears. "Since toons don't age, you and _Maman_ look like sisters. I can't believe some men would still go after a mom! But at least her accidental slapstick-ery would kick their asses. But you… I know you dress the way you want to but guys are very visual! I don't want them thinking you're inviting or –or leading them on or-"

"Jack."

He looked up in attention.

Still tied in his jacket, she calmly spoke. "I like this dress. It feels like me the way you said your jacket completes you."

He became silent, remembering the first time he found his signature clothes. Then his ears twitched.

* * *

Jack slid hanger after hanger in one of the racks, pointedly ignoring the fact that he was in a boutique.

"Are you sure, you don't see anything else you like?" he asked. He couldn't believe he's helping his sister shop.

He grumbled, moving to another rack. One of the sales girls had offered to help but he found her too strange. She kept on squeezing her arms close to her torso as though she's keeping something in her armpits and she really needs to see a doctor for that double eye twitch.

"Sorry, Jack. I haven't found it yet," she called out as she stood in front of a mirror, modelling a lapis lazuli shawl.

Jack rolled his eyes. The shawl is plain blue, for crying out loud. The heck do they give colors fancy names?

Rose had a small smile in her lips, amused by her brother's exasperation to shopping. One of the sales girls had tried to flirt with him by clasping her hands together to push up her chest and batting her eyelashes.

Just like _Maman_ with flirtations directed at her, it just went over his head.

Jack's hands suddenly stop sliding clothes from one end to another. He lifted the garment, inspecting it. The color reminded him of Rose's eyes.

"How about this one?" he asked, holding it up for her to see.

Jack gave a triumphant smirk when her eyes widened and she went silent. Standing behind her, he helped her wear the jacket.

She turned around, inspecting the jacket in front of the mirror. Rose was silent but Jack felt as happy as the expression in her face. She faced the mirror again.

"I… I think I found my signature clothes. Thank you, Jack."

He caught her eyes in the mirror, his face serious.

"For you and _Maman_ … anything."

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, ToonTown, Night 5 in Hollywood**

Rose wrapped her arms around herself. Her jacket had become more than a jacket. It was a symbol of her brother's love.

But that brother was now being an idiot.

 _Maman_ was being an adult by moving on. She, herself, was being an adult by following her lead. Why couldn't he just grow up and move on?

She was supposed to be the cold, critical one! What happened to that twin?

How could she even talk to him if he's going to be this childish?

TAP! TAP! TAP!

Rose turned to her window before frowning. Calmly, she poked her head out of the window.

Her expression became dry when she saw Jack on the ledge with his rabbit ears wrapped over his eyes.

"Are you decent?" he asked.

"Oh no, will you please pull my corset tight while I hold on to my bedpost?" she shot back with as much sarcasm as she can put on.

His ears flipped open to reveal his dry expression. "My brain just threw up inside my skull."

She folded her arms.

"Aren't you going to let me in?"

Rose stepped back. "Doors are invented for a reason."

He shrugged as he hopped inside. "I needed fresh air."

Her expression didn't change. "What do you want, brother?"

"You're still angry at me," he stated, his ear twitching at her last word.

She remained silent. Jack sighed, wondering why he got to be the twin of the most stubborn rabbit.

"I was not angry at you."

She raised her brow.

He fought the urge to rip out his ears. "I was mad at that gu –I mean, at our father. I don't know why you still want to meet him –but fine!" he said when Rose opened her mouth. "That's your choice. And this is my choice."

They stood apart, staring at each other. The air around them felt calmer but not in harmony –like a compromise. Jack frowned but looked steadily at her.

"And I didn't mean to say that you should go live with him. I never wanted to get rid of you."

The wrinkle between her eyes relaxed and Jack felt himself lighten up a little. He felt even better when she closed the gap between them and hugged him around the middle.

He ruffled her auburn hair. "No matter how much you give me a frostbite with your glare."

She gave his torso a light slap but her face was troubled. This was the first time that they had truly fought. He had surprised her by initiating the make-up. Did he change or did she change? Would things changed because of their separate decisions?

"And you're still my favorite sister, Rose."

She finally smiled. Nope, it didn't.

* * *

 **France, 1953**

Mina smoked from a fat cigar, looking over the ocean. Another vacation leave and it's a good day in France once again.

"Why so blue, rabbit?"

Said rabbit was fixated with the sand that she was stubbing with her toe. There was an ocean before them and years ago, Rhoda would have been enthusiastic going to the beach.

Rhoda looked up from under drooped ears. "I've always been one to tell humans that just because toons act stupid, doesn't mean they are. But…"

Her gloveless hand squished the sand beneath them (its bothersome to have sand inside gloves).

"But in the end, I was the fool."

A cherubic hand delicately tapped the ashes off her cigar. "You're the silly rabbit, Rhoda. You always the play the fool on TV."

Rhoda threw up her hands, almost knocking down the umbrella. "That's not the point!" She sighed, composing herself.

"I know I'm not that smart. I know I panic easily. I know I act like a kid. But those were so good qualities for being a natural comedy," Rhoda said quietly. "But not in real life."

Mina glanced at her, wondering where was this all coming from.

"I didn't mind them at first since it was doing a lot of good, making people laugh. But now that I don't have the security of the set anymore, they're now faults."

She turned to Mina and Mina saw the expression of someone who saw the ugly truth. It was the same face she saw in the mirror fifty years ago, realizing that she will grow old but will never have a woman's body.

"I try so hard to make up for them..."

And the "baby" knew that. She had never seen the rabbit so happy when she was able to drive for the first time without destroying the car. She had never seen the rabbit pushed herself so hard till dawn just to understand the simple math of budgeting and paying bills on her own.

And she had never seen the weathered determination that would sometimes flash in the rabbit's eyes.

Not since the twins entered her life.

"...Sometimes I feel like I shouldn't have been so stupid."

"You're not stupid!" Mina blurted out suddenly.

Rhoda looked at her in surprise. Wasn't Mina always calling her an idiot?

Mina inwardly cursed, torn between covering her mouth to shaking the rabbit.

"Yeah, you got the proficiency of a grade-schooler! But you're not stupid!"

The "baby" stubbornly glared at her jolted expression. As though that would make the rabbit understand.

"Remember how you knew I wasn't really an infant?"

She knew she was a diva. A brat. An old bitch in a baby's body. She had thought Rhoda was one of those bright-eyed amateurs in showbiz. The rabbit had confused and annoyed her with her bubbly cheeriness that persists off-camera. Sarcasm and insults just bounced off her. She even seriously thought they were bringing joy through television when it's all about corporate profit!

But curiosity finally won over hostility after months of working together. Mina had asked her how she saw through her baby act the first time they met.

Rhoda shrugged. "Yeah, I said, 'I just felt it. You feel old.'"

"And I hated you for it," Mina deadpanned.

Rhoda's eyes brightened into stars, clasping her hands to her chest. "Aaw... was that the time you started to like me after?"

"Dream on, Rhoda," Mina said, raising a magazine over her eyes, hiding her face.

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, ToonTown, Night 5 in Hollywood**

"Thanks for coming with me, Mina."

"No problem, rabbit."

"I don't want to go to Jesse's apartment if Acme was also in there," Rhoda said, rubbing her arm. "I was surprised Jesse still lived in ToonTown."

"Yeah, I thought by now he'd be living with that couger," Mina said.

Rhoda glanced at her reproachfully for her choice of words. But Mina only rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe how chic his apartment was compared to the rundown that Rhoda lived with her children. "That guy keeps his life under wraps so who knows?"

"Yeah," Rhoda said absentmindedly, pushing the front door open. Her demeanor changed as soon as she stepped inside. She squared her shoulders and took a deep breath.

 _He's gone. He's gone._

"Enough about that."

Slender rabbit feet walked down the hallway. An apron suddenly appeared in her hand and she tied it around her waist.

"It's time to make dinner."

Mina stared at the feminine knot tied just above the rabbit's fluffy cottontail.

The bunny nanny in the set had now indeed become the bunny mommy in real life.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1946**

This was just a crush, right? This thing he had for her?

"I'm an embarrassment to all rabbits!" she cried, pulling her ears in distress so far, they stretched to waist level.

Jesse stared at Rhoda from across the table.

He was happy with his friendship with Rhoda. She's this happy bubble of joy. This ray of sunshine that wanted to make people laugh.

There was a whipping sound when she let go, the force of her ears knocking her backwards off her seat.

Bystanders nearby cringed at the terrible crash.

Her hand suddenly appeared above table level. "I'm okay!"

But as time passed, he knew he was getting greedy. Walking her to her trailer after filming, being with her even in his day-offs. Was he wrong for wanting more?

Yellow gloved hands clutched the table and Rhoda clambered it for support before sitting back on her chair.

"Why does everything I bake explodes?" she whimpered, unmindful of the turmoil of her friend.

"I know how to bake a carrot cake," he said in his silent baritone.

Her blue eyes suddenly looked up to him in wonder, sparkling with hope that if she asked him to rob a bank with that face, he'd do it without question.

"You do?"

He shrugged. "Yes." Since yesterday.

Jesse remembered her sharing woe to Mina. So he had decided to be a solution to her problem by going to the library and reading the recipe.

"I can bake you one if you want."

With a squeal of delight, she threw her arms around him for a quick hug that always felt too short before she happy-hopped-danced on her seat. It just felt natural to be happy seeing her happy.

Rhoda was a rabbit. White fur. Long ears. A poofy cotton-like tail. Feet slender but unlike human. She stood four feet tall minus the foot-long ears.

So why didn't he found himself caring?

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, ToonTown, Night 5 in Hollywood**

With the plates washed and the table clean, Jack and Rose looked at their mother from across the table.

Mina whistled, checking her fingernails. She felt like she's in some kind of a family meeting.

"I'm glad you two are in speaking with each other," Rhoda said. "Because we're going to need to work together."

Jack looked at her questioningly, his rabbit ear cocking into a question mark. Rose nodded in understanding.

"Jack, what you did have some consequences," Rhoda said. "Humans don't feel comfortable when toons would get unpredictable."

"What consequences?"

"It means humans don't like it when something stronger and faster than them would get violent outside the TV," Mina said bluntly. "The media feeds on fear, Jack and what humans fear..."

Rhoda put her hands on the table. "That is why your father and I are going to work together to fix this," she firmly said.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to make a public apology on Jack's behalf."

Jack sat up straighter, his hands outstretched as though to brake the conversation. "Wait, wait, wait. You're going to apologize… for me?"

"Yes."

"To the public?"

"Yes, Jack."

"For something that I did?"

"Yeah, son," Mina said impatiently.

He looked desperately at their mother. His mother didn't have to pay for what he did.

"Why can't I do it?"

Mina laughed, leaning on the table. "You can't handle them yet."

"Who?"

"Jack, there are reporters out there who seek the truth for the greater good," Rhoda said, "and then there's the kind that… do more harm than good."

Mina waved her hand. "You gave 'em a good show with that KO. The news event would be littered with people wanting," she held a chubby thumb and pointer with the smallest space in between, "a liiiiitle more scandal."

Rose's eyes widen with understanding. "They're going to try to rile him up."

Mina snapped her fingers in approval. "Got that right, sister."

"Your Aunt Mina and I already talked about this," Rhoda said solemnly. "My appearance would shift the lemonlight away from Jack."

"Limelight, Rhoda."

Rose didn't need to look beside her to see Jack sinking into his seat. She simply put a hand on his lap underneath the table.

"The media –both toons and humans, would now have made assumptions of who you are. If you don't like what the papers are going to say tomorrow, just ignore them," Rhoda continued.

She looked at her daughter. "Rose, you're going to meet your father the day after tomorrow. That place is secluded but your father will drive you home."

A firm look was sent to Jack's direction. "Jack, please don't hit your father again. In the meantime, avoid public places. The paparazzi will come after you."

Jack folded his arms, slouching into his seat with his mouth a tight line.

She gave a look to both of them.

"Strangers are going to make assumptions out of the two of you. Rose, you will be judged on your looks and Jack, you will be painted as someone rebellious and dangerous."

Rhoda sighed.

"I don't want you to be exposed to them at this age. But the best I can do is prepare you at what will happen. Let's try not to make it worse."

She stole a glance to Mina and her friend nodded.

"Also, I owe you the truth."

Both ears of her children perked.

"Kids, the day that I found out about your father's affair was also the day I found out I was pregnant. I… I didn't tell your father."

Jack found Rose's hand with his and he clasped it.

"Your father has someone else. But I don't want to tie him down because I was pregnant when he wanted out. So I moved to France."

Rose stared. "You moved to France alone? Why didn't you just move to another part of the city?"

"What about support? You could have told him so that he could chip in," Jack asked, unconsciously gripping Rose's hand tighter.

Rhoda shook her head. "I can't," she simply said.

Jack and Rose looked at each other. Rhoda's heart drummed. With the two together, they were too perceptive.

They can't know yet.

"Hey, kids. What's done is done," Mina quipped. "Your momma's got a big day tomorrow. Why don't we all just rest up?"

* * *

Late in the night after the bedroom lights have been turned off, the television blared in the Master bedroom.

"Ooh, that looks nasty," Mina said as the screen showed a series of pictures showing Jack's arm a blur of fist connecting on Jesse's cheek.

She turned to look at Rhoda who didn't seem to be paying attention to her "homework" for tomorrow.

Mina chucked a pillow at her. "Hey, you're supposed to be knowing what they know, remember?"

The pillow bounced off her head and Rhoda fumbled with it for a moment. She arranged her notes and paid attention to the screen again. When the commercial ran, Rhoda finally spoke.

"I never thought they would need a father."

Mina chugged whiskey from her flask. "Is that why you never hooked up with anyone in the 'City of _Luuuurve_ '?" she asked, emphasizing the L-word with much-deserved sarcasm.

Rhoda pouted. "I'm serious, Mina. I feel like I just deprived them of something."

The "baby" shrugged. "No mother is perfect, as far as I know."

She shook her head. "I'm not." She wrapped her arms around her. Her ears drooped, hugging the pillow as she looked down. "I just wanna know if I have been good enough."

WHAP!

The whole world was suddenly tilted on one side. Mina stood beside her in post-pillow whacking position.

"Excuse me?" the "baby" asked.

Rhoda sat up and shook her head, her rabbit ears slapping away the stars spinning around her cranium. Mina put a hand on her hips.

"You've done what you could. Heck, how many mothers would be willing to be friends with cheating ex-husbands?"

She sat down to her master's armchair again. "Friends who used to be married," Mina tilted her head to the side, studying her. "I would never have expected that."

Rhoda's mouth turned poutier. "Hey! I can be mature too."

Mina held up a hand. "Not that, rabbit. I never thought it would come to this."

Indignation turned to confusion. "Never thought what could come to what?"

"That you two would end up failed," she bluntly said.

Rhoda reacted as much as a wall would react when kicked.

Sensing her unaffected, Mina spoke her mind. "I seriously thought I was wrong about him."

Rhoda remained still. Just when Mina was about to go back to her whiskey, the rabbit spoke.

"He liked eye contact whenever we do it."

Mina blinked, wondering what she's talking about.

"He said he liked seeing me reached the high note."

Mina stared, her jaw dropping. Was she talking about…

Rhoda shrugged, her voice toneless. "It was never a problem since I'm stretchy."

The "baby" looked like a reddening deer caught in headlights. Never in a million years did she thought Rhoda could make her feel like running out of the room and freezing at the same time. She was supposed to be the lewd one between them.

"But the last time we were doing it, he buried his face into my neck. Like he couldn't look me in the eye."

Oblivious to the fact that Mina was resembling a tomato, Rhoda continued.

"So I held him closer and told him that I love him."

She remembered his arms wrapping around her after he came home. It was surprising but welcomed after weeks of growing distance. The rabbit held up a hand as though grasping something.

"But when I said it, I got the feeling I made him feel worse."

She wrapped her arms around her knees, her ears wrapping around her shoulders.

"Ever since I found out, I always wondered when did everything stopped being real."

* * *

 **Maroon Studios, 1946**

"AAAAAAAUUUGHH!"

Mina calmly stood there, covered with splotches of real ink.

Rhoda yanked her ears, running around.

"WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?! WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DOOOO-"

Something soft and stinky hit her in the head and she caught it.

"Mina! That's gross!" she exclaimed, throwing away the used diaper.

The "baby" walked towards her, wearing a new nappy. "Well, it did calm you down, didn't it?"

Rhoda yanked her ears anxiously again. "What are we going to do, Mina? Ink splotches don't come off easily on toons." One hand began to gesticulate frantically. "We've got a show to film! The director's gonna have conniptions! This can set back the entire season! Think of all the disappointed kids out there! We can't-"

A cherubic hand waved offhandedly. "We'll cover it with skin-colored paint until my own paint absorbs it. Geezus, Rhoda. I hate to imagine what would happen if a real crisis happened."

* * *

 **Acme Studios, 1962, Day 6 in Hollywood**

Jesse leaned on the background, watching the reporters gather before the stage. A lone rabbit stood behind the pulpit, speaking.

"-light of the events yesterday, I would like to apologize on my son's behavior," Rhoda said on the crowd before her. Cameras flashed. "What he did was reckless and I'm sorry for-"

"MISS RABBIT!"

She blinked at the sight of one of the reporters waving his arms around.

"Where have you been in the last 15 years?"

Rhoda paused and the reporter took this as a cue to go on. He looked around at his fellow reporters.

"A lot of fans have been worried when you suddenly disappeared, Miss Rabbit. I think," he looked at her, nodding and confident, "your fans have the right to know what happened."

Jesse scowled and stood up. But then Rhoda beamed.

"Aw, thanks for the concern, Mister. But I've been fine all these years!"

She turned her head around to the others which ignited them to raise and holler their questions until the initial reporter got lost from the standing crowd.

Rhoda held out her hands, the bright yellow color of her gloves standing out. Everybody quieted down.

"What my son did was reckless. I'm really sorry if he scared anyone. But I can assure he didn't intend to and he won't do so in the future."

She stepped back from the pulpit but one voice rang clear and loud.

"Miss Rabbit, why did you leave your husband?"

She knew it was coming. But that didn't stop the sensation of a cold stone in her stomach.

"She didn't leave me."

Rhoda sharply turned her head to Jesse who had appeared on her side.

"As a family matter, we respectfully ask that we care for our own privately. This conference has now ended."

Jesse turned away from the frantic reporters and Rhoda took it as a cue to hop off the stage.

"Ms. Rabbit! Did your son punched Mr. Krupnik because of abandonment?"

"Is it true you left Mr. Krupnik for an actual rabbit but found out you were pregnant with Mr. Krupnik's kids?"

"What is the name of your daughter, Ms. Rabbit? How old is she?"

FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!

Rhoda looked steadily ahead, trying to ignore the reporters waving their mikes between the gaps of security guards lining the walkway on both sides.

A hand clamped on her shoulder from behind and she startled. She looked up to see that Jesse had put a hand on her opposite shoulder, guiding her away from them and into one of the studios' cars.

 _Be neutral in the face of cameras, rabbit,_ she could hear Mina's voice.

As soon as they reached the car door, she shrugged off his hand and climbed inside the door. She breathed a sigh of relief behind the tinted glass.

Then the car door opposite from her opened.

"You don't have to accompany me, Jesse."

He adjusted himself on the opposite side. "You're right."

There was silence after that. Rhoda checked it off as keeping with appearances. Her shoulder still felt heavy with his touch, like a mark that won't go away.

She scooted further away from him, looking at the window.

Jesse trained his eyes on his window. Of course, she would act like he's diseased. He remembered how she shrunk back from his outreach arm, how she backed away as soon as she was done painting his cheek. How she yank her shoulder away from his hand.

The one person whom he didn't have to prove that he wasn't a cad had finally joined the bandwagon.

"You're disgusted with me," he said quietly.

Rhoda startled and turned her head to Jesse. He kept looking at his window. Her gaze went to the driver only to realize they were separated by a tinted fiber glass window.

Her ears drooped as she tried to remain small in her side of the car.

"I'm not disgusted with you, Jesse," she said, suddenly feeling weariness down to her bones. Asking why he even cares seemed to be more fitting. But that wasn't a nice thing to say.

"Seeing you, being touched by you just bring back the old memories."

 _Memories that were not that important to you anymore_ , she wanted to add. Rhoda took a deep breath. He wasn't the one being affected, she must make him understand.

"I'd rather forget," she said, giving him a small smile as a peace offering.

Jesse said nothing.

Rhoda looked back at the window again, resisting the urge to sigh. He could have at least made an effort to be a friend for the sake of their kids.

 _Besides, I don't want any more conflicts. Martha Acme might get jealous, remember?_ She wanted to ask.

The drive back home was silent as they stare at their separate windows.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1947**

 _"Rhoda, I'm home."_

 _"Jesse?" the voice seemed to come from the kitchen before the soft pattering of rabbit feet was heard. Rhoda appeared in the living room before giving a pause. "You look tired."_

 _Jesse uncovered his eyes from where he sat on the couch. "It's nothing, it's just one of those days."_

 _She padded over to the couch before settling beside him. "Wanna talk about it?"_

 _He shook his head. "It's not a big deal. I got into an argument with the photographer because he called Leroy a degrading name."_

 _Rhoda put a hand on his shoulder sympathetically._

 _"Then he told me to stay out of his way because we're just toons. So I left the photo shoot."_

 _She laughed, surprising him._

 _"You wouldn't be you if you didn't," she said, a certain light in her eyes that told him she wasn't upset that he rejected a wage._

 _"Remember the boy with the kite, Jesse?"_

 _Jesse shook his head._

 _"We were still just friends back then. We were in the park. You were reading My Little Prince. But then this little boy cried out when his kite was snagged in the highest tree. His father and his friends just laughed when he cried."_

 _He watched her, remembering that incident._

 _"But you put down your book, climbed the tree and gave it to the little boy," she shrugged. "Then you went back to your reading like nothing happened."_

 _Oh yeah, he remembered that. The father was a prick._

 _"I think that was the first time my heart gave a thump."_

 _Jade eyes went back to her._

 _"Maybe it was too early for me to realize but that was the start."_

 _She knelt down on his lap, her heart racing. Rhoda was rarely brave enough to make the first move. But Jesse remained stock still, his eyes on her and her alone._

 _She put her hands on his chest, leaning in close. Underneath her palm, he was warm, his heart beating erratically._

 _"You're a good man, Jesse. I'm glad I married you," she whispered before she closed the gap between their lips._

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Jesse opened his eyes blurrily, wondering where he was. Morning sunlight streamed from the windows as wisps of sleeps left him. He sat up on the edge of the bed, his red locks tumbling down his forehead as he massaged his temples.

He never thought it was possible to feel worse after sleeping. His hands closed into fists. He couldn't live in this house anymore. It was haunting him too.

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, ToonTown, 1962, Night 6 in Hollywood**

"In a shocking turn of events, a young hybrid toon attacked Jesse Krupnik –board director of Acme studios-"

Jack fixed his eyes on the evening news, his mouth a determined line. Rose seethed at their description of him. Jack has rabbit ears but that word is used for stock animals!

The TV showed flash and flash of photos of Jack's blurred swinging arm directed at their father. Comments from bystanders were also recorded.

"He just came at him like a flash! If looks could kill, Krupnik would have been dead," a human reporter said, pushing his glasses.

A grinning wolf shook his head. "I don't know who that dame of a doe was, but she sure was HOT."

"She's underage, you sicko!" Jack exclaimed at the screen.

"-Witnesses claim the young toon looked like Jesse with rabbit ears. Artists suspect the young man and the doe with him could be possibly related to both Jesse Krupnik and Rhoda Rabbit-"

The screen showed a photo of Jack carrying Rose, alongside a cartoon screenshot of their father carrying their mother in the same position. They both groaned, slapping a hand on the face.

"-15 years after her disappearance, Rhoda Rabbit appeared to make a public apology for her son's actions this afternoon."

The screen then flashed their mother standing on a stool behind the pulpit. Their mother's voice reverberated out.

"What my son did was reckless. I'm really sorry if he scared anyone. But I can assure he didn't intend to and he won't do so in the future."

Jack let out a frustrated, embarrassed groan; sinking down the armchair he's sitting on. He felt like a wimp who's hiding behind his mother's skirts.

"I should have been there," he muttered.

The newscaster's voice could be heard again when the video showed their mother being ushered to a car. Jack scowled at their _father's_ hand on her shoulder.

"Rhoda Rabbit was an A-list toon star of the mid-1940s before disappearing from Hollywood. Fans of the Baby Mina show ask, why did Rhoda left? And who are the young man and the doe officially? Before her estimated disappearance, there have been rumors circulating-"

"Okay! That's enough TV for today," their Aunt Mina said, ambling on her baby fat legs to plug off the appliance.

Rhoda stood up and began arranging the today's newspapers into a neat pile with Rose helping her. The pages around her were full of ridiculous headlines.

SON SUCKERPUNCH!

KRUPNIK'S KIDS?!

RABBIT-EARED RED HOT JACK FROST: THE PRODIGAL SON?

CROSSBREED CREATION: HUMANOID-RABBIT OF-

Rose didn't bother to read the rest of the ridiculous headline. She ice-glared the paper until it was nothing but soggy bits. How dare they! Stooping so low to have their tabloids bought!

Behind the fuming Rose, Rhoda gave a once-over to another newspaper.

The front page exploded with photos of Jack giving Jesse a punch, Jack glaring coldly at the cameras and a blinded Rose blocking the cameras.

Rhoda smiled. Even when unintentionally caught on camera, her daughter still looked beautiful.

Rose hastily crumpled the picture comparing their parents' anatomy to theirs. Their mother dumped it all into the wastebasket.

"Well," Rhoda said, letting herself fall on the couch before giving them all a weary grin. "That was over."

Rose nodded, still seething. Calling Jack with inter-breeding terms. No wonder their _Maman_ left Hollywood! Racist, invasive, judgmental-

She took a deep breath, composing herself.

"Ya think you should all do some family interview to make them go away?" Mina asked.

Rhoda shook her head. "Let them wait. Jack? Are you okay over there?"

Jack was still withered on the armchair and in one of his rarest moments, silent. Heavily, slowly, he stood up. With the very air around him drenching with something akin to regret, he plodded slowly towards Rhoda, before kneeling in front of her, resting his arms and his head on his lap.

" _E suis vraiment désolé, je suis navré_ …."

Rose stared at him. She had always scoffed at his overprotectiveness, marking it off as being ridiculously gallant. But was Jack more mature that he lets it on?

"It should have been my consequences, not yours," he continued.

Rhoda stroke his ears. "Get here in the couch, Jack. You two, Rose, Mina."

"Don't order me around my own house, rabbit," Mina grumbled but nevertheless sat beside Rose.

Rhoda stretched her arms until she's has one arm around Jack's shoulders and the other arm around Rose and Mina.

"We're family, Jack. We're all in this together."

Jack was beginning to smile…

"Including your father."

What tear was coming out from the corner of his eyes, instantly shied back in.

* * *

 **France, 1955**

Jack's ears drooped down so low, he looked like a basset hound –the saddest one at that.

Rhoda looked at the spaghetti that her eight-year-old had managed to splatter all over the room.

"I messed up again, didn't I?"

He flinched when his mother turned to her but she just grinned.

"Jack, with messes, you just learn how not to do 'em!"

He gave her a weak, hopeful smile when he started to realize she wasn't mad at her. "Really?"

"Yup and how to clean them up," Rhoda said, giving him a mop.

Jack groaned.

"Don't worry, Jack. I'll help ya! That's what _Mamans_ do."

* * *

 **The Nut Bar, 1962, Day 7 in Hollywood**

"Table reserved for Ms. Rose Rabbit and Mr. Jesse Krupnik?" Rhoda asked the _maître d'_.

Rose adjusted her jacket nervously. She wished Jack was here. Jack was the icebreaker with new people, making anyone feel at ease with his humor.

But then he did assault their father.

What would she call him? Papa? Father? Dad? Mr. Krupnik?

Their mother held her hand and tugged her along. She took a deep breath. She could do this.

But still, she wished Jack was here.

Rhoda pushed a door open to a more private section. Rose stole a glance at their surroundings. The ceiling itself was already a work of art, lit up by a sparkling chandelier. Velvet curtains adorn the windows while crystal glasses and exotic flowers on vases were placed on every table.

Their father must have lived well to afford meeting here.

"Jesse…"

She froze, her gut clenching when she finally trained her eyes back to the front. A man with emerald eyes were already seated on one of the tables, his hair as red as hers.

"This is Rose."

He gave her a small smile. "Hello, Rose."

She matched his and nodded. "Hello… father."

Rhoda looked at each of them in turn. "Have fun, dear," she kissed her daughter before giving a nod to Jesse and walking away.

Rose sat herself on the other end of the table. _Play it cool, Rose_.

"How are you?"

She looked up at his words. "I'm good… father."

"How is Jack?"

She kept her face neutral. "He's doing well."

Their father raised his brows, getting the message.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1946**

Whenever Jesse would introduce his girlfriend, people would imagine a beautiful woman, probably a model or a Hollywood movie actress who would match his allure.

They most certainly didn't expect a bouncing, happy bunny that even though cute; was still a furry, long-eared lagomorph.

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, ToonTown, 1962, Day 6 in Hollywood**

He should have come with her.

What if that guy became a total prick to Rose? Who's going to defend her?

Jack sat with his arms wrapped around his legs inside his dim room. He shook his head. He didn't deserve to go outside.

"Jack?"

" _Maman_?"

There was knocking and Jack reluctantly opened the door.

"Do you want to come with me to ToonTown?"

Jack shook his head.

"Are you punishing yourself for what I did?" Rhoda asked, taking note of the closed curtains and dim room.

Jack didn't answer. She put her hands on her hips and put on her most authoritative voice.

"Then I punish you by coming with me to ToonTown!"

His lips still felt too heavy to smile but they twitched. "I thought I should stay low until everything's cooled down."

She grinned. "Not if we're in very high places. But this time only."

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1946**

Whenever Rhoda would introduce her boyfriend, they were expecting another rabbit –or a clown. It just seemed to suit her better.

* * *

 **The Nut Bar, 1962, Day 7 in Hollywood**

"You mean the founder can be fired by his own company?"

Jesse nodded.

"The shareholders of the company –the ones that finance have representatives inside the company. They're the board of directors. If they think the founder isn't doing well, he can get ousted."

"So which shareholder do you represent, father?"

"Ms. Martha Acme."

There was a silence.

"Oh."

Rose took the time to pick on her salad. She had pretty much sidestepped questions that would lead to their state of living. They pretty much were lower-middle class. But she never foresaw that question leading to another subject she'd rather avoid.

She cleared her throat. " _Maman_ told me you're a singer."

"Was," their father corrected. "I have no desire to sing anymore."

Her eyes widened. _Maman_ told them their father loved singing. Music, to him, was life.

"I love singing," she said quietly, looking down at her salad. "When I sing, the air suddenly has colors, there was suddenly a world that I can reach, and I get this feeling that everything feels more-" she mentally slapped herself, wondering why she's sharing this so early.

"Alive," he continued for her.

She looked up, surprised. Behind her, her tail swished happily. "Yes."

"Jack would usually play the instruments and I would sing," she rolled her eyes but her lips were turned up in a smile. "But with his energy, he's more at home with an African drum."

Emerald eyes smiled at her. "That sounds rather familiar."

* * *

 **France, 1960**

Long fingers played the keys, his face somber.

 _C'est une chanson qui nous ressemble. (This song is like us.)_

 _Toi, tu m'aimais et je t'aimais (You used to love me and I used to love you)_

Rose glided across the stage, her face solemn as she crooned. She wrapped her arms around herself, looking up as though remembering happier days.

 _"Et nous vivions tous les deux ensemble, (And we used to live together,)_

 _Toi qui m'aimais, moi qui t'aimais. (You loving me, me loving you.)"_

Jack continued to play, trailing after her voice, blending and wrapping notes with her song like dancing lovers.

 _"Mais la vie sépare ceux qui s'aiment, (But life separates lovers,)_

 _Tout doucement, sans faire de bruit (Pretty slowly, noiselessly,)"_ _  
_

She spread her arms, her voice colored with the pain of what-could-have-been.

 _"Et la mer efface sur le sable (And the sea erases on the sand)_

 _les pas des amants désunis. (The separated lovers' footprints)"_ _  
_

Rose bowed her head, the notes lingering in the air.

Her ear twitched when the piano suddenly sprung to life with fast tempo.

 _"C'mon, baby! Let's do the twist!_

 _Like we did last summer, yeeeeeaah!"_

Jack twisted inside his seat, his fingers flying over the keys. His ears bobbed in time of the music as Rose stared at him.

 _"Let's do the twist! Like we did last year!"_

Rose opened her mouth to chastise but then her mother slid to the stage and into the piano's side.

 _"Heeee, and round and round and up and down we go again!"_

Jack beamed, his fingers still hitting the keys in tandem.

"Yeah, _Maman_!"

They both sang together, Rhoda bouncing to the beat.

 _"Oh, baby, make me know you love me sooooo!"_

Something cracked under Rose's strict demeanor. Jack and Rhoda perked happily when they hear a familiar voice join in.

 _"Twist again,_

 _Like we did last summer!"_

Rhoda grabbed Rose's hand and twirled her as they all sang.

 _"Come on, let's twist again,_

 _Like we did last year!"_

Rose laughed as their mother twisted her around and they kicked their feet in time with the music.

 _"Come on, let's twist again,_

 _Twistin' time is heeeere!"_

Jack mashed the keys in a barrage of notes just in time that Rhoda twirled her daughter again into a finishing pose.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1962, Day 7 in Hollywood**

"Is that a bird? A plane?"

"Geezus, Larry! You need glasses."

Jack laughed unmindful of the people below. He ran the length of the building's roof before shooting for the sky. He opened his arms to the rush of air fluttering his ears and jacket.

This. Is. Freedom!

His hand shot out to grab on to a billboard, swinging himself through it.

"Easy, Jack," their mother simply said, loping beside him with ease.

He landed on a narrow ledge and ran the whole length, feeling his body struggle for speed and balance.

He leapt!

Landing on concrete roof, he looked up to the view before him, his heart still pounding in his ears.

ToonTown –a whole different terrain for him to explore.

Rhoda landed nimbly beside him. She had hoped the change of view would distract him from his grudge. Apparently, it seems to be working.

Jack turned to her, their rabbit ears blowing with the wind.

"Remember how I used to be afraid of heights?"

* * *

 **France, 1952**

"AAAAUUUGHH!"

How five-year-old Jack managed to end up in the top of the Eiffel Tower and fall off it was anybody's guess.

"AAAAAAAA-"

"JAAAACCKK!"

He never noticed the sky exploded with a rainbow blossom of balloons.

"-AAAUUGH –OOF!"

"Gotcha!"

Jack opened his eyes when he felt himself stop falling. The first thing he saw was the relieved expression of _Maman's_ face. The second thing he saw was balloons by a hundred or more, their strings tied on Rhoda's waist.

Rose clasped his forearm, held in Rhoda's other arm.

"Rose!" Jack exclaimed. He stole a glance below and with a squeak, buried his face in their mother's chest.

"Don't look down, Jack," their mother gently said. "Look up."

It took a few moments but when he finally did, it stole his breath away.

"It's beautiful, Jack," Rose said, as they gently float in the sky.

"Yes it is," their mother agreed.

Then Rhoda sang while they look out to the world before them.

 _"Jack and Rose,_

 _For you, the whole world, I will oppose_

 _It's you and you and me against the world_

 _Two kits and a rabbit girl"_

Rose stared in wonder, the voice of their mother sweet and clear. It sounded like a lullaby and a love song curled together beautifully like a treble clef.

 _"You are my all and everything I have is yours_

 _My love for you cannot be match by any force_

 _Your happiness is mine –it simply glows._

Je t'aime _, Jack and Rose."_

Jack's face scrunched up in concern after a moment's pulse.

"Why are you crying, _Maman_?"

Rhoda used her rabbit ear to wipe her eyes. "I just got a dirt on my eye, Jack. Nothing more."

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1962, Day 7 in Hollywood**

Unnoticed by them, a pair of binoculars glinted in the sunlight inside a dark limo. Dark eyes squinted, watching mother and son on the top of the building.

Rhoda suddenly shuddered.

"Something wrong, _Maman_?"Jack asked.

She shook her head. "Nothing. Let's go."

End of Chapter 4


	6. A Rabbit's Nature

**ToonTown, 1962, Day 7 in Hollywood**

"Whoohoo! That was amazing, _Maman_!"

Rhoda laughed, matching the strides of his long legs with bunny bounces.

Jack grinned, looking up at the sky, his hair tousled by their run in the rooftops. Call him strange, but it was very therapeutic.

The neighborhood around them became more posh as they neared Mina's house.

"Someone's in a good mood," his mother chided.

"Yeah, well," Jack nonchalantly swung his arms, "I got the best Ma-"

All humor in his eyes suddenly vanished into a scowl.

Surprised by the sudden change, Rhoda worriedly twisted toward his eyes' direction.

A familiar figure from afar faced them.

Her ears cocked into question marks. "Jesse..?"

The figure suddenly leapt like a fish out of water. Rhoda screamed in surprise when it zoomed towards her. Jack braced himself but froze at the sight of the ugliest humanoid he had ever seen.

"RRRHHHHOOOOOOODDDAAAAAAA!"

He collided into her in a blur and they rolled a good distance away. Leroy bounced up, squeezing the paint out of Rhoda.

"Leroy?" the rabbit managed to gasp between the cardiac arrest and the python grip around her. He nodded, his scraggly hair quivering up to the very ends.

"Thank goodness I found you! There's something I have to tell you! It's about Jesse!"

Rhoda stilled now that she recognized who's holding her. "Jesse?"

"Yes, he didn't-"

He felt someone grabbed him by the scruff of his collar before Jack pried him off his mother and bodily threw him into the sky.

They both watched him become a twinkling star, his scream trailing after him.

Rhoda blinked. There was a good ten seconds before she snapped out of her shock.

"Jack! That wasn't nice! You just threw him all the way to China!"

His face was the look of utter disbelief. " _Maman_ , he just attacked you!"

"Leroy's an old friend of your father's," she replied, dusting herself off.

He watched her walk off before muttering to himself.

"That's supposed to reassure me?"

* * *

 **Acme Studios, 1955**

The open windows did nothing to clear the thick, acrid tobacco smoke.

"As you can see, Mr. Krupnik, it's a win-win situation."

Emerald eyes stared calmly through the smoke and into the fat rhino wearing a business suit.

"With this project, Acme Studios will get their overused gags recycled good as new!"

Jesse leafed through the huge stack of papers that was the contract offered.

"Just sign here, Mr. Krupnik," the rhino said, the fat cigar clenched between his teeth. Behind him, his fox bodyguard stood sentry beside the door.

He glanced at the pen handed over but kept on leafing on the contract.

"You know, Mr. Hornose, this factory of yours. How is it?"

"How is it?" he laughed jovially. "Why you'd get the results you want! Just look at this section here on how many you'd get by a month-"

"I'm not asking about results, Mr. Hornose. I'm asking about your factory."

The fox's eyes glinted at Jesse's cold tone.

Mr. Hornose hesitated. "The factory. Working perfectly like a well-oiled machine, Mr. Krupnik," he shrugged.

Long fingers stopped leafing through the contract. "A well-oiled machine. A well-oiled machine that somehow managed to run without following standards of occupation safety nor other labor laws. Would we want to associate ourselves with that?"

The rhino froze. His mind going through the past inspectors he had given donations to.

"I assure you, Mr. Krupnik. You can check any agency you want. We follow the rules to the tee."

A lazy but somehow calculated smirk flowed into his lips.

"Thank you for the offer, Mr. Hornose. But we will have to refuse."

A snort came out of the rhino's nose. His huge bulk almost blocking Jesse's view of his office from where he was sitting.

"Toons would be grabbing more opportunities with this project. Thought you like to help them."

"Oh I do," Jesse said, nonchalantly steeping his fingers. "It's just a matter if you'll include yourself."

The rhino raised a gray orbital protuberance. "Meaning?"

He looked at him over his steeped fingers. His employees are trained but undoubtedly unhappy with their conditions. All he had to do is hire them himself. "Change your contract, follow the rules. You got ten days."

Mr. Hornose laughed out loud, beginning with a hoot that ended with a hacking sound.

"What a righteous lord!" he exclaimed, his eyes mocking with the truth. Who did this sugar mommy's boy think he was?

A few minutes later, Jesse watched a rhino walk out of the building from his window. The fox bodyguard gave him one last glance before following his boss to the car.

Jesse smirked. Mr. Hornose was going to get the surprise of his life.

"Jesse?"

He turned to see dull green eyes and a head full of scraggly auburn hair peep from the doorway.

"Leroy."

The newcomer tugged his saggy jacket. "How was it?"

Jesse shrugged. "He took it well."

"Yeah, I heard laughter."

"Did anything happen while you were in the factory?"

Leroy laughed. "Jesse, nobody wants to notice an ugly guy like me." He cleared his throat. "The flowers you bought, it's here," he said, showing him the bouquet.

"Thanks," Jesse said as Leroy handed them over.

"Are you going to visit her now?"

Jesse nodded. "My job is done for today. It's time to visit Martha."

He strode past Leroy.

"And Leroy?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

Leroy looked back over his shoulder. There was no smile in the gratitude resonating in his voice. But it had been a long time since he saw him actually smile.

He shrugged his bony shoulders with a smile for both of them. Someone did have to look after Jesse.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1962, Day 7 in Hollywood**

A figure of a rabbit walked away from a lean humanoid with rabbit ears.

The bulky shadow inside a limo put down his binoculars, marveling at the young man's intensely protective prowess.

"Change of plans. We need to get her alone."

* * *

 **The Ink and Paint Club, 1947**

He couldn't do it anymore.

Singing in the stage, walking amongst tables and sparing women with attention. What happened?

His eyes stared out of the window, knowing only an empty house awaits him.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1962, Night 7 in Hollywood**

Jack was going to throw up.

"-oh and _Maman_ , he had hired a lot of toons who weren't able to get jobs on TV and movies. I-"

Rose was going on and on like their father was the best thing since carrot cake. Jack's mouth derisively thinned at his thoughts. Rose had remained silent on her meeting with their father during dinner time. Now, he realized she didn't want him to hear it.

Their mother chuckled. "Somehow I'm not surprised."

And _Maman_! How could she be light around this? Still, he stood frozen in front of the closed door. It's not like he was eavesdropping. He just happen to go get carrot juice when he heard them.

"Father said he doesn't sing anymore."

"Really?" Their mother's voice was saturated with surprise. "Weird. Singing is his life. Love, happiness and pretty much everything viral."

"You mean vital?"

"That!" their mother said with a snap of her fingers. "He told me before that it was the only thing that made him happy. But I guess his new job makes him happier now."

"You were right, _Maman_. He wasn't so bad."

His face contorted with effort not to snort. He finally turned on his heel and walked out.

Anyone who hurt _Maman_ was not and never would be a "wasn't' so bad."

* * *

 **Maroon Cartoon Studios, 1946**

"AND CUT! That's a wrap, everybody!"

Rhoda blinked. "You mean we're done?" Mina ambled behind her.

The director nodded. "Yup, we finished early."

"No blow ups todays, miraculously," Mina said, pointedly looking at the back of Rhoda's head.

Rhoda gave a melodramatic gasp, putting the back of her hand on her forehead.

"Hold me, honey. I feel faint!" she exclaimed, falling backward.

Mina reactively caught her, paused, before reactively dropping her to the ground.

Comedic partnerships never end within the set.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1962, Night 7 in Hollywood**

When Rose told the details of her meeting with their father to Rhoda, there were some things that Rose left out.

 _"Aunt Mina would sometimes say Jack is growing up more like_ Maman _," Rose said before sipping her tea._

 _"What about you?" her father asked._

 _"Me?" Rose laughed. "I couldn't make people laugh the way she could. I'm not like her."_

 _"I wouldn't say so."_

 _Rose looked up._

 _"You may have my eye color but you have the shape of her eyes."_

 _Her eyes widened._

 _"You both brush back your hair with your pinkie. You both eat the tomatoes first in your salads. Whenever something surprises her, she cocks her head to the left and thump-"_

 _Her foot reactively thump._

 _"-her right foot. Like what you're doing right now."_

 _She looked back astounded, suddenly realizing her head was cocked to the left._

 _He gave out the briefest chuckle before returning back to his dessert. "But even though I know so much, I can never figure her out."_

 _Rose smiled. "Me either."_

Rose scowled. Their father spoke like he got their mother mapped –right down to the tics and the corners of her eyes.

If they hadn't been husband and wife before, Rose would have found that drastically disturbing.

Or maybe their father just had an obsession for details.

But particularly their mother?

Rose shook her head. Their parents were separated. She just spent less than three hours with him. What did she know?

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1947**

Rhoda turned the key in the front door.

"Jesse? I'm h-"

Her mouth dropped open along with her purse.

Jesse looked up from the armchair, a book in his hand.

"Oh, hello, honey," he said, wondering why his wife was rooted to the spot.

"What... are you wearing?"

Jesse looked down on himself. A polo shirt over a vest and a bowtie.

"Just got back from the photo shoot for a university advertisement. Speaking of which," he pulled the glasses perched from his nose. "I forgot to take this off."

"Really?" Rhoda averted her eyes, suddenly finding her face hot. He even got his hair combed cleanly away from his face instead of his bangs falling over one eye. Those glasses weren't helping her at all.

Jesse watched her stole a look on him again before fidgeting. "You looked rather nice," she said, her foot twisting this way and that.

He smirked when she rushed into the kitchen.

Rhoda shook her head as she hopped into a stool facing the sink. Why was she behaving like a lovey-dovey teenage doe when-

"Is it just me or are you into the scholar look?"

She twisted around to see Jesse up close, his lean arms resting on the sink, trapping her.

Her fur turned red, speedy as a roadrunner. "Jesse!"

He chuckled. "Never thought I'd catch your eye like this, Rhoda."

She smiled shyly, in spite of herself. "My eye wasn't the first thing you caught before."

Jesse stilled, his teasing forgotten. Rhoda fidgeted with her floppy ear. Here she was, still so shy and rather innocent to her effect.

How did someone like him have someone like her again?

"What was the first thing I caught?" he asked quietly, yet it seem to ring tremendously in the silence.

Her smile softened more as she meld her palm on his cheek.

"I think you already know," she whispered, leaning in.

* * *

 **Hollywood, 1962**

"You're humming."

Jesse paused, realizing the after-sensation of his throat rumbling.

"Yes. I was."

"It's been a long time since I heard you make any kind of music," Martha said, arranging the flowers he gave her in a vase.

Jesse stood up immediately. Their hands brushed as he took the flowers and the vase.

"I met her. Rose."

Martha flexed and stretched her stiff fingers. "I see."

She run her index digit through a velvety petal. "It's like having her back again, isn't it?"

Jesse didn't respond.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1947**

"Guys, we gotta find her!"

"Don't worry gals! We just gotta ask Lea Schlesinger to petition for us. Buggy could-"

"No."

"Hey! Rhoda's our pal. If-"

"Rhoda, even with that silly soul of hers, would still think of others before herself."

"Yeah, she would have ta-to-ti-te- she would say something to us."

"Or maybe she's thinking about others besides us."

"Your point being?"

"Look, if Rhoda wants to be found, she'd tell us. Trust me, bunny-to-bunny, she has good reasons why she left off without telling us."

"Do you even know what they are?"

"Nope."

* * *

 **Acme Studios, 1962**

Jesse resisted the urge to doodle with his pen. There were murmurs as they go through the motions of the board meeting.

"Anything else?" Wallace asked at the head of the table.

Mackwell raised his hand. "There is another thing I'd like to share with you all." He looked around, making sure they're all paying attention. "It's about Rhoda Rabbit breaking her contract."

Jesse could feel all eyes at him before looking away.

"Fifteen years ago, Rhoda broke her contract in Maroon Cartoon Studios. Though the company now has a different name, she still have an obligation with it."

"I don't know, Mackwell. The rabbit's already a wash-out."

"The rabbit is a comedy classic." He spread out his arms, looking around at them with a smile. "A comeback along with the news of her return would boost up rating," he held up a bundle of yellowed papers.

"Our copy states that for any reason that she terminate her employment in Maroon Cartoon Studios at her violation, she agrees to indemnify the company the amount of $100,000.00 to cover all expenses incurred in relation to her employment."

The directors murmured, glancing at each other.

Mackwell's lips thinned into smiled. "However, it also states in the contract that the studios can make amends as they see fit. I suggest we give her another chance to continue her employment under a new contract."

A folder of crisp white papers were passed around. Jesse scanned it. Under the contract, Rhoda would work with a wage 20% lesser than her salary before.

It was either to pay for something that she couldn't afford or work for lesser money.

"This is well-thought, Mackwell. But I'm afraid the old contract was signed with RK Maroon as the CEO."

All directors turned their eyes to the solitary toon in the room.

"I've worked under the old contract before. Since the contract defined Mrs. Maroon as the CEO, the contract became null and void when she left."

Mackwell smirked. "Jesse, don't let history be your judge. Having the rabbit back would be good for the company."

Jesse's unreadable face became more obscured as he reminded himself that they're playing politics.

"You're right, classics shouldn't be judged as old news. But I suggest we stay true to what's written and signed first."

Nancy glanced at Mackwell and Jesse knew she was thinking he was beaten by a toon again.

"Thank you for pointing this out, Mackwell," Wallace said. "'The Rabbit Returns' has a nice ring on it. But let's have the lawyers deal with the contracts first before we make a decision."

Politics was like dancing with someone who wants to kill you. Underneath the show, close enough to watch him and far enough not to slash.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1946**

 ** _Rabbit Behavior, Health and Care_**

Rhoda stared blankly at the stately book in her hands.

"Jeeeeesseeeee..?" her voice trailed uncertainly.

Her boyfriend's voice sounded in his apartment before footsteps could be heard.

"Yes? What is it, Rho-" he stopped when he saw the book in her hands.

Rhoda continued to stare at the book.

"What…"

"I thought I'd need it to take care of you better," he said, pulling the book from her hands. But Rhoda hanged on to it, her feet dangling in the air.

She giggled, her legs swinging a bit. "You don't need this, silly. Rabbit anthropomorphs are not exactly like actual rabbits."

His arm holding the book still raised, he replied to her levelled eyes. "Yes, well… it's nice to know."

The rabbit swung herself up, vaulting into the book and Jesse instinctively held it like a platform.

"First of all," she said in her most academic voice, "Real rabbits aren't that crazy about carrots. Buggy just made carrot chomping famous."

Jesse blinked, wondering how he ended up holding the book like a stage.

"Second, real rabbits are active at dusk. Anthropomorph bunnies would just be as upset as you if they'd got woken up at that time."

"Third," she leaned forward with a playful grin. "If I'm like them, I would have boxed you to test your skill and endurance when I started falling for you."

She hopped off, humming.

Jesse stood there, remembering all the times she bunny-boxed bad guys during filming. Despite her protests, the stuntmen told her not to hold back to make it look more "real."

They regretted it.

He hastily put down the book.

* * *

 **1962, Mina's Manor, Day 9 in Hollywood**

"Rhoda! You gotta relax!"

"I am relaxing, Mina," the rabbit said, flipping a patty with a spatula.

Mina rolled her eyes from the lounging chair. The sun was shining, they were beside a sparkling Olympic-sized swimming pool and Rhoda was slaving away on the grill.

"Stop being a mom for ten seconds, will ya? I'm not a baby for you to take care of!"

She adjusted her sunglasses before resuming her sunbathing position.

Rose was once again with her father. Jack was probably still sleeping. Rhoda just had to meet that dipshit thrice and get grilled by the media in less than a week. Yet, she was still looking after someone. Some people just couldn't stay put for good reasons.

Rhoda walked over to her. "Well, the four basic food groups didn't contain bourbon, milk, cigars and the occasional candy. You gotta eat something."

Mina lifted her sunglasses. "What's that?" she asked, glancing at the plate Rhoda was holding.

"Grilled veggie burger."

"I'll pass."

"I promise, it's not so bad!"

"Nah."

"P-p-puh-lease?"

Mina made the grave mistake of looking up to her face.

She was suddenly lost into the blue galaxies of pleading puppy eyes. Somewhere, from afar, a violin played of world's sorrows.

She felt her will cracked. "No."

Rhoda's eyes continue to twinkle sadly, her lips forming into a pout.

Whatever defiance that wasn't crushed was slowly getting obliterated.

Mina gritted her teeth. Must… not…

"Fine! But just one bite! Geez!"

Rhoda beamed and everything became alright in the world again.

"Yey!"

Mina reluctantly took the burger and bit.

Rhoda squealed when Mina's eyes widened like a caveman discovering steak for the first time.

Before the "baby" could comment, the very ground rumbled.

"Mina, look!"

A few meters away, the ground exploded and dust flew everywhere.

Rhoda and Mina began to cough. Then they realized they're not the only ones coughing.

"Sufferin' Succotash! Did you took a wrong turn to Albuquerque again?"

Rhoda's heart stopped.

"No. I'm pretty sure we are where we are right now," a voice said, wavy rabbit ears popping out of the ground.

"Right! That's what you said when we ended up in the world's biggest dog pound," a figure retorted, dusting dirt off its bill.

"Come an-in-en-on, girls! Let's not fight," another figure said, a corkscrew tail popping out of its behind.

"I believe we have finally followed the coordinates correctly this time," a shadow formally said, obscured by the dust.

Rhoda's jaw dropped.

"Kit E. Coyote? Guys?"

The dust finally settled down and both parties stared.

Daphne Duck suddenly pointed a finger (or was it a feather?) at her. A war cry emitted at the top of her lungs.

"GET HEEEER!"

Rhoda screamed as they all charged at her. She tried to run but was dogpiled quickly by a mob of Loony Tunes.

"How can you do this to us, Rhoda? I thought we were friends!" Sylvia the Cat yelled somewhere over her legs.

Rhoda gasped from all their weight. "Guys, geroff…"

"You had to run away from one country that banned us all!"

"Hey!" Mina shouted, "It's not her fault that they don't have a sense of humor!"

"Yeah," Buggy lazily replied, lying on top of them like she's relaxing on a beach. "But don't mind us. We were just left out for fifteen years. Before you know, becoming her first friends here in ToonTown? Just saying."

Rhoda could hear stuttering somewhere near her butt.

"Girls, maybe this wasn't such a gi- a ge- a ga- a good idea," Patty said uncomfortably.

The rabbit gasped beneath the pile.

"Somebody, stop elbowing my bonbon!" she yelled.

Mina got into an argument with Daphne Duck and proceeded to jump into the pile to wrestle her. Then everybody was squirming and yelling and cursing at once.

Rhoda's arms shook as she tried to do a push-up with all of them on top of her.

" _Maman_?"

Everybody froze.

Jack stood in the doorway in his swimming trunks, looking just as surprised as all of them.

"Ooh-la-la…" Daphne trailed, looking at his well-toned abs.

Rhoda's eye twitched.

They all screamed when the rabbit lift them up and threw them all into the pool.

* * *

 **Post-war 1945, Paint Smear Palette**

There was a reason why Amateur Night only happens every three months.

"Boo!"

Trash began to rain down the stage and a shepherd staff yanked the caterwauling toon away.

"Uh girls, are we uh, she-shi-sha-sure Rhoda is ready for this type of crowd?"

Daphne straight up drank a Spur Cola bottle, one arm dangling on the backrest. Her bright orange webbed feet rest on the table as the chair teetered dangerously on two legs. "Relax, Patty. Mommy birds need to push off their chicks from the nest to teach them. Heck that's' how I learned!"

"You know how to fly?"

The duck made a raspberry sound. "Heck no! I learned how to make holes on the ground shaped like me! Neat, huh?"

Patty Pig looked at her dryly. But then squinted her eyes.

"Why is there a baby over there? Isn't this a bi-a be- a bar?"

"Idiot. That's Baby Hermina. The one that advertises baby stuff since the 1910s."

"What's she doing here in a hole-on-a-wall?"

"Beats me."

* * *

Puff! Puff! The paper bag blew in and out.

"I don't think I can do this, Kit E.!"

Eyes darting everywhere. Chest inflating and deflating. She was even shaking.

The coyote concluded an incoming anxiety attack. First aid needed.

WHACK!

"Ow!"

Rhoda straightened up from the floor.

"What was that for, Kit E.?"

"How do you feel right now?"

"Sore!"

Kit E. smiled with satisfaction. "Super effective."

The coyote put her hands on the rabbit's shoulders.

"Rhoda, listen. I can spout a plethora of words that will all boil down to the same message: You. Can. Do. It. But I won't. What's your song all about again?"

"Making people laugh."

"Do you think you're as funny when you're ranting aggressively like Daphne?"

"No."

"Do you think you're as funny when you're passively outwitting hunters like Buggy?"

"I'm not that smart."

"Exactly."

"Hey!"

"What I mean is, the only one who can be as funny as you is you."

There was suddenly yelling and crashing like a barfight had ensued.

Kit E. nodded grimly. "That's your cue. Break a leg."

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1962, Day 9 in Hollywood**

The heavenly scent of roses filled her nose.

Rose sighed, holding the bouquet. She had just spent the whole day with her father and it couldn't get any better.

They've had lunch again in The Nut Bar and they've talked about everything under the sun. Their father was refined. Mature. A breath of fresh air after growing up with _Maman_ and Jack.

Guilt stabbed her then.

It wasn't like that.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Rose snapped out of her musings. They were in a balcony of an art museum, looking out at the sunset before them.

"Thank you for the roses."

Jesse had paid one of the artists inside. Much to her delight, they use scented paint. Much more to her delight that sent a warm glow down to the tips of her toes was when her father said "They're for my daughter."

Though she smiled politely at the shocked face of the artist, his words bounced giddily inside her head.

"It's lovely."

She admired the roses again. Roses for a Rose.

"This reminds me of the song _Maman_ used to sing us when we were young."

It had always been her favorite part of her day when _Maman_ would be able to tuck them to bed. It was the times she felt closest to her.

"What would she sing?"

She closed her eyes, the wind swaying her rabbit ears.

 _"Hold me close and hold me fast_

 _The magic spell you cast_

 _This is la vie en rose"_

The very air seem to still, the birds quiet down as though to hear more. Her voice coloring the air in a beguiling purr of soft pink shades.

 _"When you kiss me, heaven sighs_

 _And though I close my eyes_

 _I see la vie en rose"_

But beneath her lids, what she could see was _Maman_ quietly serenading the night of something powerful and invisible hidden in a simple song.

 _"When you press me to your heart_

 _I'm in a world apart_

 _A world where roses bloom"_

When Rose had begun singing the song as a kit, the words dance in her tongue in sweet melody. Her chest would feel light like her heart had tasted honey.

 _"And when you speak, angels, sing from above_

 _Everyday words seem_

 _To turn into love songs"_

Her note trembled in the air and lingered. The wind sighed.

 _"Give your heart and soul to me"_

She startled at her father's voice –deep, clear.

 _"And life will always be_

 _La vie en rose"_

Everything became silent as though to respect the farewell of the last note.

"You sing beautifully, Papa."

Her eyes widened in surprise at the word that came out of her mouth. But somehow, it felt right, in this moment.

Her father smiled as though noticing it too. It was the first time she saw him smile the longest.

"I used to sing it to your mother," he said quietly, looking out at the sunset again.

Rabbit ears are sharp, even more that Rose was tuned to tone and pitch. His face was calm but Rose could hear just a tinge, fleeting like a shadow, of something akin to pain.

Rose looked down at her bouquet again. Was she imagining things?

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1946**

"I can't believe you still have that film!"

Daphne Duck shrugged. "I borrowed it from Kit E."

"Come on, Daph!" Rhoda pleaded, "That Amateur Night performance was pretty embarrassing! Why did you all recorded it in the first place?" She paused. "No wait, I already know the answer to that question."

Rhoda sighed. "Just don't show it to Jesse."

Daphne snorted. "Rhoda, your husband Jazz-teases for a living. If someone should be bothered by performances, it should be you."

Rhoda looked at her openly and what came out of her mouth made Daphne wonder how low was the rabbit's emotional guard.

"I trust him," she simply said.

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, 1962, Night 9 in Hollywood  
**

"And here's a picture of Jack and Rose taking a bath together."

"Aaaaaww…"

Jack had immediately fled into the cellar to get refreshments as soon as Rhoda had whipped out her tome of their baby pictures. So far, he hadn't come back yet.

The whole day had become a blur of grilled veggie burgers, apple cider and a pool. Now, they're all in Mina's parlor, continuing their somewhat improvised party.

Patty sighed. "It's like we're watchoo- watcha- watching them grow up."

"They could have been our godkids if they grew up in here, Rhoda," Sylvia said. "Why did you have to leave? And seriously, Mina? We know we ain't that close but you could have told us you've been having a tryst with the rabbit for the last fifteen years."

The "baby" rolled her eyes, holding up her loaded cigarette holder with a chubby hand.

"Don't make it sound queer, kitty. Rhoda didn't want anyone else to find out."

The cat turned to Rhoda again. "Really? Why keep the rest of us away?"

All eyes were upon the rabbit but she only fidgeted.

"I just have to," Rhoda said weakly, feeling Buggy's gaze weigh on the back of her head.

"Nyeeh," Buggy drawled, chomping on a carrot, "Toon Biology is not quite understood. Who knew you'd pop out a humanoid with rabbit ears?"

Rhoda silently thanked her fellow rabbit in steering away the conversation.

Kit E. Coyote straightened up with scientific calling. "It's true, 99.9999999621% of the time, two different toon species would produce either one specimen or the other."

They all blinked when they were suddenly in front of a chart with Kit pointing at it with a stick.

"For example, Ortensio the Cat and Oswaldina the Lucky Rabbit reproduced 416 rabbits and no cats."

Sylvia shrugged, bathing her tail by licking it. "Maybe it's different with humanoids. Rhoda's the first anthropomorph to hook up with one."

Rhoda appeared not to hear her as she flipped through the pages of her photo album. But she did hear the silence that settled on them for some reason.

"What?"

"Are you and Jesse… still together?"

Rhoda gave a short laugh. "Nah, we're practically divorced."

"You're still legally married."

"What's the point of a piece of paper?" Rhoda argued, suddenly wishing they'd drop the subject.

"What do we know?" Daphne snorted. "Kit E. is married to science, Buggy's a player-"

"Said the pot about the kettle."

"-Sylvia's too much into catnip for that and Patty is too well-mannered to even think about jumping a guy's bones."

"Hi-ha-hey!" Patty protested.

"It's true!"

Rhoda felt her tension lax in her shoulders. Finally, off the subject.

"It's a pity though," Daphne continued.

"What about?" Patty asked.

The duck glanced at the Rhoda. "You never told us what's it like."

Rhoda cocked her head to the side. "What's what like?" she asked in confusion.

"Having sex with Jesse Krupnik."

The rabbit sputtered with spit before a wave of embarrassed heat exploded in to the room.

"NO!"

"Oh c'mon, Rhoda! A woman would wonder!"

"That's private! No!"

Meanwhile, Mina suddenly found her big toe hypnotizingly fascinating.

Daphne shrugged, gesturing around with her hand. "Among all of us, the most innocent banged the hottest of them all-"

Rhoda stood up, her hands balled into fists.

"For the last time, I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT MY PAST SEX LIFE!"

She breathed heavily down on all of them. By this time, someone would have commented that they finally heard her say the s-word.

But they just stared.

"What are you all guys looking at?" she asked, confusion surfacing in her indignation.

" _Maman_?"

Rhoda twisted around and she never wished so hard that the ground would just swallow her up.

Rose stood in the doorway, her key in hand. Behind her, was the tall, elegant figure of Jesse.

"Rose!" she exclaimed with a thick layer of optimism over her horror, "You're back!"

She gave her daughter a quick hug before waving to their guests. "Everyone! This is my daughter, Rose."

Rose gave them a polite smile before turning to her mother again. "Papa wants to speak to you."

The awkward aura around her made Rhoda wonder how much did they heard. Painfully, taking as much time as she could, she glanced at Jesse.

Jesse's face was deadpanned but the air around him felt disturbed. Darn Daphne for spurring her!

"I need to have a word with you… alone," he said, his eyes not directly looking at her.

Rhoda forcefully lifted the two ends of her mouth. "Sure! I'll meet you outside!"

"Bye Papa," Rose said before walking away quickly from the scene.

Rhoda slowly turned to look at them all before following Jesse outside.

"Did she just looked constipated?"

"That was her murderous look, you moron."

For a moment, they all exchanged glances. There was a scuffle when they all rushed to the window.

"Where is she taking him?" Patty whispered, even though they were far away.

"Somewhere even rabbit ears can't eavesdrop," Buggy observed.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Mina muttered.

"Hey, where's _Maman_?"

All breaths hitched as one and they all casually blocked the window.

Jack cocked his head curiously to one side. "What are you all doing?" he asked. They looked like they're using the window to model or something.

"Jack! Thank goodness the drinks are here!" Daphne said. She pushed Jack away from the window, "There's something I gotta show ya. Someone get Rose too! It's the first time your mother performed on stage."

* * *

 **Post-war 1945, Paint Smear Palette**

Her friends had just sentenced her to death.

This was what she thought as she walked to the center of the stage and in front of the mike. _It's an Amateur's night for amateurs and you're an amateur. You'll be fine_ , Buggy had said.

She wondered what they think now that the audience were brawling. Her eyes tried to find their table but the pandemonium was too much.

Rhoda tapped the mike. "Gentlemen?" she said but it came out as a squeak.

They continued fighting. Rhoda ducked when an ale bottle flew beside her and crashed on the wall behind.

The rabbit whipped out a lit bomb from her hammerspace.

Ka-BOOM!

Everybody coughed at the smoke and in confusion, the brawl stopped.

"Guys?" a feminine voice called out uncertainly.

A figure rose out of the smoke and Rhoda shook away the ashes, her ears flowing this way and that.

Everyone resumed on their seats, eyes trained back on the stage.

Blue eyes glanced at Kit E. playing the piano on the side, the notes slow like hesitant, dainty steps. She clutched the mikestand, wondering if she had the cahones to handle a crowd this insane.

 _"I maybe furry but I'm no average girl."_

Abandoning the mike, she walked towards them, singing.

 _"There's no one like me in the Cartoony World."_

She leapt off the stage with a ballerina's grace and Rhoda grinned when she saw the patron on the center table.

 _"So sit there, baby,"_

Rhoda sang, winking at the humanoid infant with a glass of scotch, before spinning towards her.

 _"Let me give you a whirl, I'll be your..."_

The infant rolled her eyes when Rhoda rested her hands on her table. But she threw up her hands in front of her when Rhoda leapt with a glow of sunshine and sparkles.

The jazz music suddenly blasted.

 _"STAR! Your heart! Your lagomorph pearl!"_

Then the rabbit was off skipping towards the other tables.

 _"They say a bunny is so frisky and fun_

 _a ball of bouncy-ful fluff."_

She playfully slid beside a patron duck before going directly to a lone rabbit boy's table.

 _"I'll make you laugh any way that you want"_

She casually took the carrot from his martini and kissed its tip.

 _"Be it role plays or..."_ she shrugged innocently, _"Other stuff."_

The rabbit boy gulped.

From their table, Daphne, raised a brow. "Did she just…"

 _"If you like slapstick, I can take what you got."_

Rhoda chummily threw her arm around a wolf's shoulders.

 _"The perfect fit for your heat."_

The wolf grinned but Rhoda had already skipped away.

 _"Swing a bat,_

 _Give a wham,_

 _Throw a piano,_

 _And a bomb,"_

She faced them all with a turn of her heel, raising her arms with a shake of her hips.

 _"And you will see that I can shake_

 _Whatever you bring on to me!"_

Patty blushed, "Uh…" Daphne grinned in unison with the guys.

 _"Some like it hot!_

 _Some like it wet!"_

The wolf leapt at Rhoda from behind but she threw a lit dynamite behind her. Then she threw a water balloon over her other shoulder as a lust-crazed fox went for her.

Rhoda didn't even noticed the bodies.

She sat down beside a large toon bulb, jovially leaning against his side.

 _"Some like the shock, whatever rocks for you!"_

As soon as she left, the bulb blew his fuse with a dazed, happy expression.

A toon hunting dog startled when Rhoda hopped on the table and crouched to his eye level.

 _"Come chase me day and night,"_

She leaned in closer to whisper.

 _"But please, don't bite."_

Rhoda hopped off, oblivious to the bone that the dog had straightened up his bone reactively with a flattered grin.

Daphne sank down to her seat, reduced to cachinnations. Patty looked distraught.

"I don't the-tha-think she's implying what we think she's implying."

 _"We can do the other fun stuff too!"_

Patty facepalmed.

 _"Let me amuse you, don't leave me behind."_

A lioness slapped her date across the face for enjoying the show too much. Rhoda clapped a hand on a goat's shoulder. The goat reactively leaned closer.

 _"I guarantee I'm your type."_

The goat crashed down on the floor when Rhoda twirled away, with an arm full of mallets and bats.

 _"And I -may play rough but only if you don't mind,"_

She grinned daringly at the bull and a skinny stallion sharing the table

 _"And I love being in a "Three Stooges" fight."_

The bulky bull gave a huge grin at the stallion who uncomfortably slid away from him.

 _"Let me be your rare Thalia-come-true._

 _Got a lot of T-N-T."_

All eyes followed the natural swing of her hips that tandemned with TNT.

 _"I love you laughin' and you gigglin',_

 _I'll be the bunny you'll be needin',"_

She hopped back to the stage, holding the mike.

 _"I'll be your happy hare,_

 _Your hilarious rabbit fair"_

She raised her arms along with the note.

 _"And you'll beeee_

 _Enjoying your night here with meeeee!"_

Someone turned on the sparks on the stage while the audience went wild, stomping and clapping. Patty sat there along with a highly amused duck.

"Are we going to-ta-te-to tell her that her song sounds ra-re-rather suggestive?"

There was suddenly some chomping sounds.

"Nyeeeeh."

Patty jumped about a foot in her seat to see Buggy holding Kit E.'s portable video camera.

"We can show her."

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1962, Night 9 in Hollywood**

Meeting with Jesse was like visiting a doctor who would put a needle on your arm –you got both urges to run and hope to just get over it at the same time.

"Follow me," Rhoda said, hopping as far and as wide as she could.

At least with Jesse behind her, she didn't have to see him. She took a deep breath, composing herself.

 _He's gone_ , she told herself, _he's gone_.

Darn that Daphne!

She looked back past him and to the lit windows of Mina's home. Content that there would be no eavesdroppers, she hopped to a lofty fence.

The fence swayed but Rhoda stayed put until she found balance.

"Well?" she asked, facing her ex-husband. It felt so different to be in a higher eye level than him.

"I want to financially support Jack and Rose."

Blue eyes widened. Rhoda wondered what did Rose told him.

"Thanks, Jesse but you don't need to."

Jesse shook his head. "I want to be there for them –at least financially this time. Jack…"

Rhoda bit her lip. Who knew when would Jack would even talk to him civilly?

His jade eyes seem to glow in the light of the moon. "And I know you need it-" she opened her mouth to protest but Jesse continued, "Rose may be good at evading questions she didn't want to answer. But I concluded enough."

The unchanged expression on her face pressed him to talk even more.

"I want to be a part of their lives too, Rhoda," he quietly said, "and I know I can't fully be accepted at once."

Emerald eyes watched her face softened. If he had tried to reason that they need the money, he knew she was going to be stubborn.

"Alright," she said. Looking at her ex-husband, she squared her shoulders. "It will be for their schooling and their other stuff."

A moment lulled in silence. She gave him a small smile that made his chest twinged painfully.

"How was your day with Rose?"

"Beautiful," he said quietly, unable to look at his wife before him.

She grinned, her cottontail swishing happily. "I knew you'd get along!"

He nodded. Rhoda waited for him to say something. When he didn't, she opened her mouth to speak. But then, Jesse spoke.

"Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?"

Rabbit ears curled. His voice sounded as though he was deprived, making her hands slowly curl into fists.

"Why didn't you tell me you were seeing another woman?"

Jesse looked up at her tone. Aqua eyes stared back at him, neutral but hard.

"It wasn't like that-"

"Then it was like what, Jesse?!" she snapped. The fence swayed a bit but Rhoda found her balance again.

He remained silent. Rhoda's hands balled into fists. How dare he... just... how dare he! Yes, she somehow took his children away from him before birth. But he GOT NO RIGHT to look at her like that! She had let bygones be bygones and here he was, the one upset!

 _I told you to be happy!_

 _Do you hate me that much you have to be a stone around me?_

 _What else do you want less from me so that you'll be happy?!_

She took a deep breath, the air blocking the cracking sensation in her chest.

 _Just… why?_

Her shoulders droop as she bowed down her head with a sigh.

It had been fifteen years. Why can't they just let go?

"We can't be friends like this, Jesse."

The fence tilted forward along with Rhoda.

Her hands instinctively grabbed his jacket as handholds and large hands wrapped around her waist as he reactively caught her.

She looked up and azure sky met forest green.

Their lips were suddenly pressed heatedly against each other. The fabric of his jacket strained under the grip of her hands. Memories long unused began to reawaken at the familiar texture of their mouths. His hand traveled up her back, reveling at the touch that had been unattainable for fifteen years, resting on the back of her head as he leaned in, drinking her.

She mewled, tugging him closer. The vibration travelling to his lips, spurring him on-

Hands on his jacket suddenly lay flat with a forceful push. Their lips disconnected with a pop and Rhoda gasped.

"What are we doing?!"

She struggled in his arms and he let her go. Rhoda began to yank her ears, her eyes wide.

"What did we do? A momentary lapse of judgement. Yes, that's what it is." She distractedly wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Jesse had to look away when her throat bobbed to swallow. "This shouldn't happen again," she mumbled frantically to herself. "We've both moved on. Martha-"

Jesse reached out a hand to her. "Rhoda-"

"DON'T TOUCH ME!"

Fire burst out of her body before disappearing again. Her chest rose up and down rapidly. Her rubbery ears strained with tension at her grip.

"No! No! No!"

Jesse hesitated. Rhoda was yelling with her eyes shut as though she's fighting the voices inside her head.

"No! NO! NO! STOP! SHUT UP!"

She dropped to her knees, her head bowed. Jesse stared.

"Rhoda, please-"

With a scream, Rhoda punched the ground with a dusty explosion.

BOOM!

Jesse shielded himself as dirt flew everywhere.

* * *

 **1947, ToonTown**

"Whoa, Buggy! Your place is A-plus-mazing!"

Two rabbits walked down the hallway; one bouncy and turning around curiously this way and that, the other sauntered with cool nonchalance and a carrot betwixt her fingers.

"Hollywood, Doc," Buggy said. "Since you're getting married, there is something I wanna show you."

Rhoda stopped dead in her tracks. "If it's another manual for 'How to do it', trust me, Mina and Daphne already tried to give me one… two," she said squeamishly. Would Jesse even want to do that? She was okay if they won't.

The serious look in the gray-and-white-bunny lightened up momentarily. "No, Rhoda. Not that."

They entered the library. "You didn't grew up with a family of rabbits, so you wouldn't know," Buggy said. Her dark eyes slid to Rhoda. "Someone has to tell ya."

Rhoda cocked her head to the side. "Tell me about what?"

Buggy whipped up a book: _Animal Rabbit Toons_.

"Toon animal rabbits are the closest we have to real rabbits. They both hop on all fours. Their noses twitch like a consistent motor. That stuff." She tossed the book beside Rhoda.

She grinned. "I know that, Bugs."

"Rabbit anthropomorphs are a little less than real-life rabbits. We don't prefer to hop on all fours but we do get their keen sense of hearing."

Rhoda grinned again. "I know that- eek!" she caught the book thrown at her. " _Anthropomorphic Rabbits Through History_ " the title said.

"Let me finish, doc. Us anthropomorph rabbits consider each other as family. There is a saying in the Warren: We match socks for a reason."

The white rabbit looked confused. "But we don't wear –eek!" Another book was thrown at her: _Silence!_

Buggy sighed. "But it doesn't mean we forbid inter-species marriage. It's just that there seems to be a pattern to anthropomorph rabbits marrying non-bunnies."

The gray and white rabbit picked up a moldy, yellow scrapbook. Rhoda looked curiously over her fellow rabbit's shoulder.

"The reason I get to keep this is because I'm rich," Buggy muttered, blowing the dust away from the cover. In childish scrawls, the title appeared: _Anthropomorphic Rabbit Burrow: The Intricate Guide to Rabbit Genealogy._

Rhoda squinted her eyes at the title. "Genea-what?"

"Family Tree, Rhoda," Buggy said. "Since the 1910s, there are only thirty-three rabbits who married non-rabbits."

"Like Oswaldina?"

"That's one. Then there are others. Out of thirty-three, seventeen did not ended well."

Her ears drooped. "Gee, that's too bad."

"Some anthropomorphs were drawn after animals that are not faithful to mates: cats (although Oswaldina was lucky), raccoons, skunks."

Buggy leafed through the pages. "When the marriage turned sour, they would cheat or leave their spouses for someone else."

She looked up to see Rhoda's sad eyes, her lips quivering in a pout.

"But the rabbits themselves," Buggy continued, "can get a little crazy."

"What do you mean?"

"I've bookmarked the pages. See for yourself."

Rhoda thumbed through them. One buck in the 1920s splashed turpentine at a pig in a jealous rage after his weasel wife left him. A doe committed suicide by paint thinner, unable to leave her philandering dog spouse. Another ended up in a mental facility after his wife spent off his inheritance and ran off with a violin player. A buck under a restraining order and finally in jail after stalking his unfaithful wife and-

Blue eyes went wide, all 17 cases of failed marriage to outside species resulted to rabbits being carted off to a mental facility, behind bars or simply ending it.

"But… but why?"

" _Because real-life rabbits mate for life_ , doc. Whatever this thing we call love, we're drawn after species that instinctively stay forever. When their spouses left, their nature- our nature..." Buggy shook her head. "They just become obsessed, ruining their lives in the process."

"Are you showing this to me because-"

Buggy put her arm around her. "But the good news here, doc, is that humanoids can mate for life. They're drawn after humans after all."

Rhoda nodded. "I know Jesse, Buggy. Don't worry, I won't go crazy."

"You mean crazier?"

Rhoda chuckled.

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, 1962, Night 9 in Hollywood.**

Jack and Rose stared at the flickering screen before them.

"I remember the time we showed your mother this film and explained to her line by line why her song sounds… a bit bawdy," Sylvia said.

"Uhh… Aunt Daphne, I really don't need to see my _Maman_ singing innuendoes songs," Jack grimaced, wishing he had a towel to wipe his brain.

"The point is, her song is good. But she never wanted to sing it again when we explained the possible subliminal messages in it," Buggy said.

"It's because Rhoda simply wants to make the world laugh," Kit E. defended. "Not all of us wants to be sexy-funny."

"Exploring different types of comedy is ge-gi-good. But I can understand if Rhoda only stuck on slapsticks and gags."

"But her song's too good not to forget it. Someone will need to continue the line!"

Jack and Rose momentarily looked at each other, guessing what will happen next. No, they don't want to sing that either.

"I think I saw you in the film, Aunt Mina," Rose said quickly, turning the attention to someone else.

Mina nodded, grumpy that her entertainment room was packed with intruders. "That was the first time I saw your mother. Never knew I'd be stuck with her mug for the next year or so."

Rose was about to say something when she heard it. Faint but like a scream. Whipping her head around, she saw Jack and Aunt Buggy suddenly alert, their ears facing the source of the sound.

" _Maman_!"

Jack rushed out of the screening room, his long legs eating the distance between him and their mother's screams. His hands plastered against the glass window to look outside. Rose followed after, clutching the sill.

Far away, near the gates, _Maman_ was in her knees, ears yanked in distress. Towering her, a tall humanoid figure stood.

Frost suddenly blurred the glass.

* * *

Jesse coughed at the dust. Waving his hand to clear the air, his eyes fell on the hole in a giant crater that Rhoda had punched. His heart sank, realizing she had dug away underground.

What had he done?

He didn't have time to scream when he suddenly found himself slammed against the wall, cold cyan eyes boring down on him.

"You've gone too far, Krupnik," Jack growled, his hands curled on the front of Jesse's jacket. The temperature began to drop as Jack's hands shook. It didn't matter that Jack was younger. It didn't matter that Jesse was slightly taller.

Jack pulled back his fist but Jesse was too far inside his head to care. Traumatized blue eyes. Frantic mutterings. Screams.

 _Rhoda..._

"Stop."

They both looked up to see Rose stock-still. Her eyes strained to hold back the wetness in her eyes. She looked at Jesse. The glow residing in his chest for his daughter slowly got crushed, it felt like he had hurt Rhoda all over again.

She lifted her chin, pained but proud. A princess betrayed . Minuscule icicles formed on her fur like thorns on a flower.

"He deserve no pain nor tear nor forgiveness from us. _Non_."

She turned her back to the man she thought was her father and walked away.

Jack looked at her retreating form before looking back at Jesse again. With one last hateful look, he pried his fingers off his jacket and followed his sister, wiping his hands with disgust.

* * *

Several blocks away, a bulky form put down his binoculars inside the parked limo.

"The rabbit's alone now. We gotta find her."

 **End of Chapter 5**

* * *

(1) The scholar look catching Rhoda's eye was inspired by the script of **Roger Rabbit: Toon Platoon script**. Roger fell in love at first sight with Jessica who was dressed in a conservative office tire with glasses and hair in a bun –far from her strapless look and peek-a-boo hair today.

(2) The song that Rhoda sang was originally the **Eevee Song by Random Encounters in You Tube.** I edited the lyrics to fit it in a more cartoon bunny theme. Go check out the Eevee song by Random Encounters, it was great, I fell in love with that song instantly! Then I thought why not use it to mortify the rabbit?


	7. Divorce Determined, Part 1

**ToonTown, 1962, Night 9 in Hollywood**

 _He's gone. He's gone._

Feet numbly walked, one foot after another. Blank eyes stared at nothing. Arms wrapped around her body as though to hold herself together.

 _Real-life rabbits mate for life, doc_ , Buggy's voice echoed.

Wired after rabbits? Drawn after rabbits? Does it matter?

Her feet continuing to make a beeline to nowhere. Even her own voice inside her head sounded like a weary broken record.

 _He's gone. He cheated_.

She couldn't raise Jack and Rose in the same city with him and Martha. She couldn't. Not without that part of her persistently calling out for the man that no longer wanted her.

Dirt tumble down her soiled fur. Gravel and grass lay trapped between the hairs. Rhoda couldn't even care less.

 _He's gone. Can't you see?_

She couldn't succumb like the other the other rabbits. Not when her babies depended on her.

 _It was a fluke. A penny for a peasant in his end. He left me for Martha._

For her children to have a chance, she had to cut everything that holds her in ToonTown –her career, her friends, everybody. Mina, she made an exception. Mina, who didn't have anyone else. Mina, who would slap her the truth whether she wanted her to or not. Mina, who kept everyone away.

 _So you decided to put the Atlantic Ocean between you two?,_ Mina's dry voice resounded.

Self-loath stank inside her chest. Despite what her friends thought, she was the biggest boor bag of them all.

His taste tingled on her mouth and she rubbed the back of her hand on it.

 _He's gone. That was nothing but another lie._

Fifteen years. Fifteen years she kept back the part of her that made less sense than her own mind. All it took was a steady firm mantra to keep it at bay.

All it took to undo it all was one moment of impulse.

She had to find a way to be free of the one thing she couldn't help: her heart that still calls for him.

Rabbit feet stopped walking.

Blue eyes looked up at the dark, starless void.

In a dream-like memory, she could see Buggy shake her head. _The rabbits just become obsessed, ruining their lives in the process_.

For Jack and Rose, she have to.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1947**

They were drifting apart.

Rhoda lay in their bed. Sky-blue eyes wide awake in the dark.

It's just weeks, right? They were just busy in their separate careers –hers, acting in the day; his, singing at night. For some reason, Jesse was not included in any of their past cartoon shorts. She'll have to ask RK Maroon about that.

Rhoda rolled to her side, putting her hands under her head. Maybe, she could have a day-off so that she could spend some time with him?

She smiled, drifting off to sleep.

Moments later, the front door creaked.

Rabbit ears twitched but she continue to snore softly. The bathroom light clicked and the soft rush of water from the shower could be heard. Rhoda only grunted.

In the dark, azure eyes blearily opened when the bed moved. They widened even more when arms wrapped around her, strong and familiar.

"Mmf… Jesse?"

He didn't answer. She could feel him nuzzle the back of her head. She patted his arm reassuringly.

"I missed you," he said in a silent baritone that was muffled against her fur.

She smiled and closed her eyes, dozing off. But they opened again when she felt him press kisses on her neck. One of his hands roamed down her abdomen.

 _He wants to do it now_? She reddened at the thought. But she turned around to face him. The air around him felt apologetic and sad. He must have noticed that they weren't spending so much time together.

The next morning, Rhoda woke up alone. That afternoon, someone left the Gossip column in the set for her to read. That evening, Rhoda never saw him again.

* * *

Months later, the Parisian air felt crisp and cool. Rhoda looked down on the occupied crib, staring at the sleeping outcomes of that one night.

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, 1962, Night 9 in Hollywood.**

"THAT SONUVABITCH! THAT'S IT'! I'M THROUGH PLAYING NICE! I'M CALLING MAH LAWYER!"

The window panes shook with Aunt Mina's rage-fueled sonic booms coming directly from her throat.

Jack sighed as everyone began talking at once. They have told their aunts what they've seen. _Maman_ in distress. Jack had ran outside, Rose tailing. The place where _Maman_ had been suddenly exploded with dirt, leaving nothing but a rabbit hole and that man that wronged her… twice.

He gritted his teeth. He promised himself he wouldn't let that _fils de salope_ hurt her again. He ran his hand over ginger hair and rabbit ears, looking around in frustration.

His eyes fell on his sister.

While their aunts were bickering, Jack took her hand and led her aside. She just let him tug her. Rose had told her share of events, detachedly –as though she cut off the connection of her heart to her mind.

Kneeling down to her level, Jack gently took her ears with each hand and tugged her close, pressing his forehead against hers.

"Rose, I can't do this alone," he whispered. "I know you're…" _Hurt, tricked, heartbro_ \- he shook his head, "-but _Maman_ needs us."

His sister blinked, emerald green clearing. Jack let go of her ears. Rose looked down.

"I trusted him."

"I know."

Her eyes narrowed determinedly and he nodded, leading her back to their strange family.

"Calm down, girls!"

"FUCK THAT! I will not calm down! Once Rhoda gets back, I'm going to-"

"She's gone again? What is it with rabbits and running?"

"Daphne, for once, I agree with Elma Fudd that you should shut your bill sometimes."

"Oh yeah? You-"

" _Nos Tantes_ ," a soft voice said so quietly, their voices fell silently for them to hear.

Rose studied them, asking for peace. "I will go look for _Maman_ ," she told them. Jack nodded.

"I'm not fast enough to crawl in a rabbit hole but Rose can," he said, silently cursing his humanoid part of them that dampens his toon speed.

"No, kids. I'll go look for her," Buggy replied. Daphne was about to follow her when the rabbit lay a palm flat on her front. "Nope. Not this time, Daphne."

The duck swatted of her hand from her chest. "This isn't a cartoon where you can protagonize around, Buggy."

"Trust me, this is something rabbit-to-rabbit."

"Why?"

Buggy whipped her head to Rose whose eyes pierced her.

"Why can't Rose come with you?" Jack asked, his sapphire gaze equally penetrating.

Buggy blinked, feeling caught. "Well, you see, Jack-"

"We know _Maman_ was keeping something from us again and we're tired of being 'protected from the truth'. _J'en ai marre_ ," Rose shook her head. _Maman_ was being truthful when she told them that she never told their father that she was pregnant. But she didn't need to meet Jack's eyes to know that _Maman_ was hiding the reasons why.

The gray-and-white rabbit sighed. "Jack, Rose. I'd love to tell you what I think happened to Rhoda. But right now, someone needs to find her."

Jack and Rose looked at each other. Buggy almost felt herself sweat at the silent communication in that briefest glance.

Rose bowed her head. If Jack felt that Aunt Buggy's sincerity was real then they would play along.

"You're right, _Tante_. Please be careful. We apologize for keeping you for this long."

* * *

 **Paris, 1960**

" _Maman_! We're home!" Thirteen-year-old Jack yelled, bounding in.

"Jack, stop bouncing off the walls," Rose chastised, closing the door behind her.

He landed back on the floor with a thump. "You used to jump too before," he said. "How come you don't bounce anymore?"

"You really don't know?" Rose asked with a raised brow.

He spread his arms a little in a questioning manner. "What? Did something changed?"

Emerald eyes still trained on him, Rose jumped on her spot.

Jack stared. "What? There's nothing wrong with your hop."

Rose jumped again.

He rolled his eyes. "Again. There's nothing wrong with your jump."

Eyes still trained at him, Rose pointed at her chest and bounced.

Jack wave his arms around to block the offending sight. "Ew! Why did you let me notice that?! _Quelle horreur_!" He clutched his eyes with one hand. The other hand started reaching for something on the table. "I don't wanna see anymore! Someone hand me something sharp!"

She ignored him, frowning at her chest that she cupped with her hands. "I've always wondered why they're so big. _Maman_ isn't even this well-endowed."

"Aaugh! Someone make me deaf too!"

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1962**

Buggy leaned on the window of her mansion. Being a Hollywood Toon Star did have its perks.

When she followed the rabbit hole Rhoda made, she had ended up somewhere in Prairie Paint –a toon landscape where the soft ends of paintbrushes swing gracefully like grass in the wind. Rhoda's tracks ended when she reached the asphalt road.

 _Ya can't find a rabbit that ain't wanna be found._

Buggy rested her elbows on the window. She had an idea why Rhoda went berserk. Knowing her, she would go to her for help.

She perked up when she saw something in the darkness. Walking out of her door, she waited outside to meet it.

A dusty, dirt-trodden figure ambled towards her. Buggy tried to meet her eyes. But Rhoda just stared blankly with wide blue eyes.

* * *

WWWWSSSSSSSSHHHHH!

Rhoda yelled, trying to block the water power blast aimed directly at her. Sputtering, she tried to get up.

A soapy wave nearly threw her off her feet, making her look like a sudsy cumulus with legs.

"Wha-"

A hydro turbo fired at her relentlessly again. There was a gargled yelp before the water assault disappeared.

Her eyes cleared to reveal Buggy holding a fireman's hose.

"Bugs! Stop-"

Rhoda was suddenly pasted against the wall, the horrible scream of a giant hair blower roaring at her ears.

She dropped back to the ground as soon as Buggy turned it off. Rhoda's fur instantly fluffed.

"That's better," Buggy said, looking at the giant cotton ball.

Rhoda shook herself until her fur smoothed down again. Buggy put a hand on her shoulder, her face pulling into a sympathetic smile.

"You okay now, doc? You were looking like a zombie that dug its way up."

Rhoda looked around. They were in some kind of a large shower room.

"Where are we?"

"Geez, Rhoda? How out were you a while ago? You walked here!" She suddenly startled when Rhoda sat down and hugged her knees. "Whoa, watcha doin'?" she asked, tugging her up again.

Rhoda put her hands on her face. "Buggy, you were right about the pattern! No matter what I do, I can't make it go away!" she exclaimed. Buggy have to bit her lip when her eyes stung at the sight of her shimmering, melancholic eyes.

Rhoda rested her head on Buggy's shoulder. "I shouldn't have come back, Bugs! I thought I was doing fine and-"

Buggy patted her back. "Relax, doc. You've handled it well for 15 years. That counts something, eh?"

"It's because you've warned me, Buggy. I don't wanna know what I would do if I stayed." Rhoda shook her head, gripping Buggy's arms that they almost hurt. "Fifteen years and it still won't go away!"

Buggy took her by the shoulders and squeezed as though that alone would give at least the timid rabbit some strength.

"Whatever you were doing worked, doc."

Rhoda bit her lip with discontent. "I need to have peace, Buggy. I need to shut it once and for all."

Buggy tugged one of her ears in thought. "You can't fight an instinct that we were doodled after."

The other doe put her face in her hands.

"However…"

Rhoda looked up. Buggy is smart. If she's thinking about making a mad science equipment that will zap her in the brain, Rhoda would do it.

"Why don't you divorce him?"

Rhoda felt her heart stop. "D-divorce?"

Buggy nodded, dark eyes solemn.

The other rabbit began to wring her hands. "I dunno, Bugs. Jesse's more financially well-off. What if he gets child custody-"

"Hey, child custody always favors the mom." Buggy led her out of the shower room. "However, divorce is a messy business."

Rabbit feet padded towards the library with Rhoda in tow. "With divorces in California, someone's gotta be at fault."

Buggy pulled back a huge book as big as her torso. "Cartoon law is more or less like humans –only you got restrictions on how many rubber chickens you can own."

Opening the book, Buggy looked at Rhoda from across the table. "Do you have any evidence that he did something wrong?"

Rhoda looked up from her lowered gaze, uncertainly pushing her index fingers together. "I don't think-"

She froze, remembering the picture that Edna Valiant took. The picture that Rose and Jack had gotten.

* * *

 **Paris, 1948**

The thing about art was that it imitates life.

Rhoda lay weakly on the toon hospital bed, admiring her babies asleep in a crib next to her. Even when asleep, the two held each other.

 _Laughter, was it still a powerful thing?_

 _She looked out of the window, her hand plastered against the rain-stained glass._

 _If that is true, why can't laughter make it go away?_

 _Rhoda rested her head against the cool window pane._

 _Jesse had still left her. She still loved him. Her babies are going to need all that she can give._

 _And she couldn't toon._

 _Not with this hollow hole inside her chest that seems to be sucking all life out of her. Not with this gloom._

 _How could she even find a job if she couldn't toon? How could she even take care of them?_

Rhoda reached out a hand and ran a finger down one furry ear of her baby girl. Her eyes peeped out from barely opened lids, showing emerald gleam. Seeing her twins for the first time, holding them, evoked something, gave her something –hope, strength, call it what you want.

But it seems like there are other powerful forces besides laughter.

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, 1962, Night 9 in Hollywood.**

The thorns were on again.

Grim eyes watched her back as she climbed up the stairs. Jack followed after her. Miniscule frost glistened on her fur defensively –like crystal thorns. _Maman_ had indeed given her the proper name. With their aunts gone and Aunt Mina busy ranting at the phone, they decided to retreat.

Their footsteps led to the hallway and into their bedroom doors: Jack's on the left and Rose's across his. But instead of going inside his room, Jack followed his sister to hers.

Without a word, Jack took his sister in his arms and sat down on the floor with his back against the wall. He hugged her closer in the darkened room. The frost cracked softly on contact. She felt stiff, as though holding back something so fragile, it might break in open air.

Jack rubbed her back. Her fists pulled the fabric of his jacket taut, her whole being still but shaking. Jack rested his head on top of hers.

"He doesn't deserve tears," her voice rang, strong but shook at the very end. "But I bought this to _Maman_."

Jack suddenly pulled back. "What?!"

But Rose held on to him, not able to look at him.

"I was the one who said we should meet him. I'm the one who wanted to see him in the first place," she said harshly.

His hands lay slack on her shoulders. She wasn't punishing that Krupnik by not crying.

"Don't do this to yourself, Rose. This isn't your fault."

He hugged her close again. "None of us knew he'd be that…"

A sob broke out and his arms went around her protectively.

"You didn't do this, Rose."

* * *

 **Paris, 1957**

The door slammed open.

"Those girls were hitting on you," Ten-year-old Rose stiffly said, her back once again was a cold wall.

"Oh c'mon! They were just talking to me!" Jack said, closing the door behind him.

Rose inhaled deeply. Her brother could be so oblivious sometimes. "Never mind that I waited for you for almost twenty minutes only to find you in another corridor surrounded by perfumed, asinine, eyelash-batting gigglers." She momentarily struggled with her scarf. _I need help_ , she thought.

Jack unwrapped it with one hand while his eyes wandered upwards to the side as though remembering something.

"So that's where the ominous feeling I was getting from. It felt like hate rays were zapping me from somewhere."

Rose forcefully tugged the scarf from his hand. _Not funny_.

Jack took off his jacket and hanged it. "I wasn't being funny. You got to tell me these things, Rose. I can't read your mind."

Her brows furrowed further in irritation as they both went into the kitchen. "No, Jack. You got to be more observant of what people want from you." She hopped up into the stool to wash her hands.

Jack shrugged, his expression puzzled and unassuming. "Maybe they're just being nice." He poured himself a glass of icecold water and drank it with one gulp.

Rose shivered from the sink, her fur fluffing reactively. She shook her head. Funny, it's not even cold tonight.

Her brother was a lost cause. Why point out the giggling, the hair twirling, the simple touches that they do? It didn't even get through him. And where did she put that chopping board and the knife?

"They're on the table. I set them up for you," Jack said, washing the vegetables for ratatouille. He ignored the itch on the side of his head.

Rose thanked him absentmindedly, scratching his temple.

"Thanks," he said. She hopped off for the dining table, sighing.

"I can't read your mind either. Sometimes I wonder if we really are twins."

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, 1962**

Mina sighed, looking out of the dark night. She had convinced the twins to get some rest. But she made up her mind to stay a bit longer in case Rhoda comes back.

She scowled at her own reflection. Damn Jesse and whatever his intentions were. She couldn't get a hold of him when he made Rhoda go away. But this time, she's going to make him pay.

She snorted, flicking the ash off her cigarette. Again, she asked herself why she care so much for one person.

She didn't need Rhoda. Fame, money, she got it all. She's one step ahead to making sure she won't lose everything that she have. Who needs friends when you got luxuries?

Rhoda was naïve. A klutz. A bunny with dim moments even.

But Rhoda was a spark. A spark of sunshine in a hedonistic Hollywood obsessed with fame and power. Yet, that didn't change her.

Despite the fact that Jesse and Acme fucked her up, Rhoda was still the trusting, simple, silly rabbit she met on Day One.

Or maybe she's just too idiotic too learn.

Mina rubbed her temples.

So no, she didn't need Rhoda in her life. She wanted her in her life.

And if she didn't sound like doggone dyke inside her head, maybe, just maybe, she'd tell it to Rhoda to show her she was not disposable. Not like Jesse did.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1947**

His plot to take down one of the biggest hotshots in Hollywood had just began.

Yet he still found himself reading her letter over and over again. When he memorized that, he read the ones that she crumpled up and tossed in the wastebasket. Inky lines were layered against words she found unsuitable. Questions, pleas, more questions, hurt that almost ripped the sheets with wild, hard scribbled erasures. He read them all and traced them as though to get closer to her thoughts. They barbed and pricked him. He didn't care.

When he eat, his eyes stared anywhere but the empty chair beside him, the unfilled mug placed on the counter and the stool she used to reach the sink.

At night, his side of his bed was abandoned to sleep on her side because it still smell like her. He would clutch the pillow and inhale deeply at her scent that still lingered in their bed.

Desperate, he was grabbing dregs of what would become the past.

Finally, he had to throw away the crumpled papers. Put away her mug inside the cupboard. Change the sheets of their bed. When that wasn't enough, he sold the house that wasn't a home anymore.

When he had ousted Maroon out of her own company, he threw himself to his mission.

Stop toons and humans from exploiting other toons.

* * *

 **1962, Somewhere in ToonTown**

 _Divorce…?_

Rabbit feet slapped the sidewalk, the miniscule of dawn's rays snipping at her heels.

 _"It might give you a sense of finality, Doc. Perhaps, even for him."_

Jack would be glad. Rose… would understand. Her daughter is smart enough to know this won't change her relationship with her father. Her kids would only have to adjust minimally.

Can a divorce be done quietly?

Rhoda's hands gripped herself tighter. Jesse had done a lot of good for toons. Showing the photo as evidence of infidelity would smear his career. But Jesse has the power to keep it under wraps, hasn't he?

Therefore, the only thing that will be ruined is what's already ruined.

"Miss Rabbit."

Tired eyes glanced sideways to a limo keeping in pace with her. Peeping over the tinted glass, beady eyes looked back at her. Rhoda blinked, the toon inside was a rhino, judging by the way he cocked his head so that his horn won't get in the way.

"Come with us."

The doe looked at him in confusion. The paparazzi cannot be hounding her this early.

She forced a small smile. "I'm sorry. I don't take rides from strangers," she said before walking faster.

However, the limo kept pace. Panic began to creep in her mind.

"Someone would like to meet you," the rhino rumbled.

"I'm really not in the mood," Rhoda said, hurriedly turning into an alley. Heart beating faster, her rabbit ears stiffen at a car door slamming and footsteps following.

"You will need to come with us," the rhino said firmly.

Dead end. Her breathe began to quicken. She slowly faced him only to see two gorillas were behind him.

Usually, Rhoda would be pleading "P-p-p-please! Leave me alone!"

Usually, her internal war with her "rabbits-mate-for-life" wiring wasn't blown apart.

Usually, she doesn't want to get anyone hurt.

Usually.

Time seem to slow down when his henchmen charged at her.

"You all picked the wrong day," she softly said, pulling back her fist.

* * *

 **Paris, 1962**

Bunny boxing is a comedic act on the ancient art of Slapstick-ery. Since it is considered funny when guys are suckerpunched and when girls can suckerpunch, bunny boxing is passed down through generations of does.

With an exception, Rhoda had also taught it to Jack to quell his bottomless pit of energy alongside Rose at the age of four.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough.

Rhoda sighed, hearing her twins bicker again.

Furry feet padded to the kitchen, only to stop before the kitchenlight's reach. Rhoda put one yellow-gloved hand on the doorway.

"Red! They're all red!" Jack exclaimed exasperatedly.

Rose shook her head, a miniscule movement in the storm of energy that was Jack. "No, Jack," she said, with an air of matyric patience. She pointed at her dress. "This color is rosy or pinkish-red. Your jacket is cardinal which is a deep red. _Maman's_ dress is spectrum red-

He threw up his hands. Clearly, they've been going at it for a while. "Jeepers! It doesn't matter if one shade's lighter or something! Put them all together and everyone will agree they're all-"

Jack was beginning to look more like the memory she'd buried. A memory that kept coming back in her waking moments. Jack's arms waved in exasperation, pumped fists in punctuation –so far from the imprinted figure in her mind.

Rose blew her bangs away from her left eye. "Identifying shades are important. It's a difference between tacky and tasteful. Which would explain a lot about your room, by the way."

"Hey! My room's-"

Rhoda rested her head on the doorway. The cool, emerald light in Rose's eyes contrasted differently from the arctic fire in Jack's. The way Rose sat so still and graceful in their threadbare kitchen chair was fit to be a frontpage of a glam magazine.

A sigh escaped her lips. There is no way all of their elegance, all of their smarts came from her. Jack, Rose, they got it all from-

" _Maman_?"

Their mother blinked, as though realizing she's there.

Jack looked down on the floor, his hands behind his back, looking already chastised.

"I'm sorry, I know you've told us to quiet down our arguments."

Rhoda shook her head out of her musings. "Oh, Jack. It's nothing big, really."

"But you looked so upset a while ago. Right, Rose?"

He looked at his sister for confirmation. But one look at his twin told him she didn't think it's about their quarrels.

"No, really! I'm fine!" Rhoda laughed. "You know what they say, 'The more they fight, the more they're tight!' so you two are really destined to be twins!"

Jack leaned backward, wrinkling his nose.

"How unfortunate," Rose dryly said.

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, 1962, Day 10 in Hollywood.**

There was no sign of _Maman_ yet.

Aunt Buggy called and said _Maman_ insisted to walk alone.

Jack glanced at Aunt Mina glaring at the glass window. Her reflection finally threw up her hands and walked away.

"Pussy," she muttered.

Jack looked at the clock. _Maman_ would never get them worried. But she does take long walks to help her think. Something about restless energy and not getting "it" easily.

 _He woke up with empty arms._

 _Jack stretched slowly, stiff. The blanket dropped off him. Rose must have put it over him when she woke up._

 _"We'll need to restrategize."_

 _He looked up to see his twin, up and refreshed. His eyes roamed over her face, her posture and to something that can only be felt._

 _"I'm okay, Jack."_

 _If there were any traces of sadness in her eyes, she hid it well with that cool but hardened gaze._

 _She's not yet okay._

DING DONG!

Jack was by the door in a flash.

" _Maman_ -" his hands balled into fists at his sides. "You!

The guy cowered at the sight of the young man.

"Wait, I know you. Leroy Hyena? what are you doing here?" Aunt Mina asked, appearing behind Jack. "And what the heck are you wearing?"

Rose looked at the humanoid toon. He was frankly ugly –and wearing a stereotypical Asian attire.

Both of his twirled mustache quivered while he hid under his wide straw hat.

"He threw me all the way to China!"

Jack straightened up, folding his arms.

"You attacked _Maman_ in broad daylight!"

"It's because I have something to tell Rhoda! It's about Jesse!" Leroy paused, looking at their stony gazes. "Is this a bad time?"

* * *

 **Hollywood, 1947**

No ring, fair game, was Momma's simple rules.

When her mother shed father's surname, she had affairs, flings, trysts and bridges that lasts from a night of fun to weeks of wine. Martha remembered it all.

She wouldn't be like that, she had vowed.

Who needs men, anyway? Its better off beating them in a real Monopoly game where properties hold score, each US president in a green cotton paper works hard to bring you more US presidents in green papers, and every person knowing you hold a key to make their motives come true.

Anyone who said money is the root of all evil has only been an outsider of riches. She could get anything she want. She could help anyone she want, lift up anyone she could from the streets.

Martha isn't blind. She may be the goddess of prank products, each inspired with utmost foolery, but she's been in business for decades. Purse strings have power, and people are lining up for a piece of it.

She once had a ring 'round her finger, and there was no regrets when it ended. A bum who tried to take control of her business.

Men toons were better. They were drawn for fun, ideal even. No spats, no paranoid jealousy. They're Prince Charmings who leapt out of fairy tale books and into American soil.

Though Jesse now has a ring, nothing's wrong with being a fervent fan.

And if Jesse comes around, she'll make him an exception to Momma's rule.

* * *

 **1962, Day 10 in Hollywood.**

Rhoda groaned. There was a ringing somewhere in her head, very near her ears. Her eyes cracked open, the headache zapping with intensity, before her eyes squeezed shut again.

She shook it off like a dog shaking water out of its ears. The chair she was tied to, rocked with every swing of her head until it lingered too long and too far on one side.

"Whoa!"

Someone caught her and the chair. A plumy bright orange tail wafted in her vision.

"Disastrous at moment's wake, I see."

Rhoda craned her head. Yellow eyes looked back at her, framed with mask-like markings of white fur against his fiery orange face.

"Antoine?" She asked with disbelief.

" _Mon chou_ ," he replied, righting up her chair again.

"Antoine!" she laughed. "What are you doin' here in good ol' Uncle Sam?" she exclaimed, her rabbit feet swinging happily.

"It's where a fox of my skills have taken me." He gave her smirk of familiarity, tipping her chin up with the tip of his fox tail. "You do realize you're tied up, don't you?"

She paused, looking down at her twine-tied body.

Memories flashed of her jumping on gorillas like they're trampolines. Leaping towards the rhino with a flying punch. And finally, an awful nails-on-the-blackboard piercing screech before everything went black.

His tail suddenly covered her mouth when she gasped.

Her heart hammered painfully inside her chest with his tail firmly placed on her mouth. She's been kidnapped! How could she forget that?

The chair creaked as she began to struggle. "An'tuf! Geff me ou' of 'ere!"

Blue eyes suddenly zeroed to the dog whistle tied around his neck.

"You're the one who did this?! Antoine! How-"

This time, his hand hushed her lips. "My boss can't know we know each other, _cheri_."

Rhoda looked around. She seems to be in some kind of non-toon garage. From the opened door, she could see the black glint of the limo from before.

"Why –who-"

Antoine kneeled down, untying her. "When my boss heard the target is Mr. Krupnik's wife, he jumped at the opportunity."

Her ears drooped as she looked down on her feet. She's no longer his anything.

Antoine paused, seeing a rare surly expression on her face. "Don't worry, my dear. I won't get you hurt."

"What do they want from me?" she asked. He gave her hand a squeeze at her miserable, tired tone before leading her out the door.

His fox tail flicked with irritation. "My boss didn't bother to know from his client. Jesse Krupnik has put him out of business before and he's been dying to get back at him," he whispered as they quietly walked out the shed.

She looked up. "Why? What did Jesse did?"

His head swiveled around before rolling his eyes. "Mr. Hornose' laborers were overworked and underpaid. It came to no surprise that they left when your husband gave them a better business opportunity." She followed him around the garage.

"But… you're still working for him?" she whispered, her heart hammering at the possibility of getting caught.

He grinned, showing his fangs. "I'm his bodyguard. After his factory shut down, he turned to 'security' business." He led her to the bushes and they crept along slowly. "Which I think, suits him more."

Antoine carefully peeped out of the bushes, checking if the coast is clear. "When I saw Mr. Krupnik, I instantly knew he's the father of your kids." He looked at her solemnly. "He looks so much like Jack…"

She bowed her head. "I know."

"With as much expression as an open-eyed comatose patient," he continued.

She looked at him blankly. A suppressed laugh came out of her mouth with as much grace as a whoopee cushion. Her hand flew to her mouth, her shoulders shaking. Much to Antoine's surprise, as well as hers, she started sobbing.

" _Mon dieu_ ," The fox said, wafting his tail around her shoulders. "I'm sorry. This must be stressing you too much."

Rhoda shook her head, wiping away tears with the back of her hand. "I'm just tired, Antoine."

"Exhausted, it seems."

His tail wrapped closer reassuringly before he spoke. "There's the gate. I'll take care of Mr. Hornose. Just jump over the fence."

She walked up to the fence when he held her hand.

"Stay safe, _mon cheri_ ," he whispered, kissing the back of her yellow glove.

Putting her foot on his linked hands, he boosted her out of the bushes and over the high stone fence. Rhoda swept out her arms gracefully, feeling the wind ran through her ears, her body curling into a ball as she reached the peak-

CRASH!

After the dust has settled, a shaking hand reached out of a crater shaped just like her.

"I assumed you didn't bounced on your posterior?" Antoine's voice asked apologetically over the fence.

"Oh no, just my face" she replied, heaving herself up. The birds tweeting around her head flew away and one perched on the mantle of the gate.

"I thought female toons bounce on their behind."

"Well, I'm a natural…." she distractedly said over the fence. "A natural disaster."

Antoine shook his head, a sentimental smirk in his lips. She is so different from the other women he encountered. And there have been many. Turning around, his foot stepped forward to return. He sighed, missing her already.

" _Sacre bleu_!" his fox tail fluffed with surprise. "Rhoda!?"

The rabbit stood before him again. His head turned to the fence behind her and back to her. "I thought you-"

"Antoine, I need to get back there. Now."

"But-"

"I know your client," she said, pointing at the gate's mantle.

 **End of Chapter 6 Part 1**

* * *

( 1 ) What Buggy doesn't know is Maternal Preference laws were found to violate the 14th Amendment guarantee of equal protection under the law in the 1960s and 1970s. Around that time, joint custody began to increase. So, Rhoda would have probably shared their kids with their dad

( 2 ) Before you get a divorce back then, someone has to be at fault. But because of the deceptive way people do to get a divorce, the "No-fault" divorce gained national impetus in California in 1969.

( 3 ) **SPOILERS FOR THE BOOK** The rabbits-mate-for-life was the only explanation I can come up why Roger in the book "Who Censored Roger Rabbit" became a psycho.


	8. Divorce Determined, Part 2

**Paris, 1960**

She amuses him too much.

"L-like a date?!"

Her ears stiffen into exclamation points along with her surprise.

"I'm too old for that stuff," she squeaked.

Antoine hid a smirk, watching her fluster and babble. Toons are toons. But even the rabbit is childlike for full-grown inks.

"I- I mean, I'm too busy for that, Antoine! With my job and my kids and Jack! I don't even want to know what recklessness he will do-"

Please, her son doesn't have a thing to worry about. He's a gentleman… more or less.

Her arms gestured a storm, they were starting to blur along with her prattle.

"And I'm a natural disaster! You'll get hurt if you get too-"

Her arm flung to him and he caught it before it could throw him out of the balcony.

"You were saying?" he asked, holding her hand with the air of simply resting his elbows on the balcony's edge.

She carefully retracted her hand. He gave an inward chuckle when she started tweedling with her two fingers together.

"I'm just really not into dating right now," she awkwardly finished.

And ever, he could tell. For someone who is a single mother of two, she sure acts like she never had a lover. For someone who is a single mother of two, once bitten is twice shy. Briefly he wondered what happened with the father of her children.

He shrugged. "If that is so, _mon ami_."

She looked at him brightly. "But we can be friends, you can bet on it!"

He remembered moving in his apartment for the first time. A fox of his skills can take him almost anywhere. A different place to rent is just part of the routine. A rabbit bursting into his pad giving him a warming party was not.

Her eyes furrowed. "Don't look at me like that. I never know what you're thinking."

He could never believe the bubbly doe was the mom of his three surprise visitors, not until she gave the "mother look" on the strange young humanoid for scoffing at something.

A laugh escaped from her lips as she determinedly look over the village, rubbing her arm.

"Why did you even asked me?"

She was so… contradicting. A girl carrying a woman's weight, dealing with a woman's loss. Still sweet and chirpy despite.

He likes his women mature. Witty. Provocative and upfront. Naïve, sweet girls take too much work. That's why he likes them tough and independent.

Yet…

He shrugged, following her gaze.

"I like strong women."

In the corner of his eye, he saw her look down... almost sadly.

"I know strong women, Antoine. I'm not like them."

"A different kind of strong then," he replied.

He saw her look up in surprise and Antoine took the chance to take her hand and kissed it, wanting to let her know what he sees in her.

Because some people are just too stubborn to go wrong.

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, 1962**

It's like being in the receiving end of Jesse's cold glaze –by the double.

Leroy shifted uncomfortably. There was nothing rude at the way the twins were looking at him- especially the girl. It was unassuming and yet… penetrating.

"Spill yer guts, buddy. I'm not really in the mood for company," the mistress of the manor said, sitting on the Master's chair with her lounging robe trailing below her.

He tried not to gulp. Mina's temper was infamous to those who work in Hollywood.

"What do you have to speak of, Mr. Hyena?" the doe asked softly, as soft as stepping on poison ivy, that is.

"It's- it's actually for Rhoda," he said nervously, his fingers clasped together to prevent them from twiddling.

"If it concerns our _Maman_ , it concerns us," the young man that looks like Jesse said brusquely.

The Baby Mina calmly smoked a cigarette, leaning back on the Master armchair with the cigarette holder between chubby fingers. "Look, pal. Rhoda's not here. So if you got something to say," Her baby blue eyes glared. "Say it."

This time, Leroy closed his eyes, thought of Jesse, and spoke.

"Jesse did cheat on Rhoda."

"Out."

"W-w-wait!" Leroy protested, waving his arms when Jack was about to stride forward. "There's more than that!"

Sensing that no one is going to rip him into shreds, he took a deep breathe. "After Rhoda left, the better side of him also left."

The baby Mina scowled. The twins' looks was unreadable. "After Rhoda left, he came to me… and he told me everything."

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1946**

Jesse stepped outside The-Ink-and-Paint Club, his coat folded in his arm. The door slammed firmly behind him by the toon gorilla bouncer.

"Krupnik."

He looked up to see a silhouette of a finely dressed gentleman with a suitcase. Even in the dark alley, the tip and head of his cane glinted silver in the moonlight.

"Poppins." What's Mina's butler doing in the human city at this time?

"I've resigned."

"In the middle of the night?"

"The winds don't wait."

Jesse nodded as though that made sense. Then Poppins spoke.

"You're going to hurt her someday."

He felt himself sucked in air and his muscles tensed at his words.

"Who?" but then he already know the answer.

"The company you tend to attract, Jesse, can be quite obsessive about you."

Jesse gritted his teeth. So much for sentimental goodbyes, Pops was going away with a shiner if he keeps along to that vein. "I can pro-"

Poppins continued on as though he hadn't spoken. "You see her as a pure soul. But you?"

Mina didn't have to order him to get a background check on the male toon. Jesse's ToonTown registration started the same time the shady side of toon showbiz had boomed in the 1920s before it was loosely banned. If he had been drawn for just singing entertainment, Poppins doubt it.

"You see yourself tainted. Someone who had seen too much. Probably been too much."

Jesse was too surprise to even glare at him. Poppins was talking in that I-know-better-than-you manner but his voice was bordering to sympathetic.

"And you're going to sacrifice anything and everything you've got just for her. Because you don't think you're worth it."

Poppins' dark eyes shone at him in the night. "And that's what's going to hurt her."

The wind whistled by, flapping their suit jackets. Poppins twirled his cane over his head. His feet lifted off the ground and the wind carried him away like a floating dandelion seed.

Jesse had disregarded his words after. He wouldn't let anything hurt Rhoda.

* * *

 **1962, Day 10 in Hollywood.**

"Are you sure about this?" the fox whispered, tying her back to her chair.

Before she could answer, the door slammed open. A burly figure filled the view outside, before he stepped in, crouching momentarily below the doorway.

"Ah, Mr. Hornose. I see you're awake," Antoine said with a charming grin.

Her fur fluff reactively at the menacing scowl on the rhino's face. Two large pieces of tape were placed as an "X" on top of a very prominent crack on his horn.

In one swift movement, he yanked her up with her ears, chair and all.

"I don't like you," he simply said. Rhoda can only yelp when he proceeded to step out of the room and into the interior of the house with her in tow. Crashing and yelling echoed.

Antoine pushed passed the gorilla henchmen and hurriedly followed his boss. The sight of a rhino trying to pull a chair-tied rabbit off a chandelier greeted his eyes.

"This is no way to treat a lady!" she yelled, her legs wrapped around the ceiling fixture for dear life.

"You're not a lady!" he roared, pointing at his cracked horn.

"Perhaps I could carry the guest to our client instead," Antoine suggested, smoothly landing on his boss' broad shouldars, and plucking Rhoda off both rhino and chandelier, before anyone else could blink.

Mr. Hornose snorted with a tug on his business suit. "Fine."

Rhoda began to squirm against the ropes and chair, "You know I can just walk." She sighed in resignation when the fox carried her easily like a throw pillow.

Yellow glove hands worried the toon-proof ropes around her. Is this really a good idea? She do understand why their client would want to take her by force.

"Madam has been expecting you," a human butler said, raising his brows as though confirming the ruckus earlier.

Mr. Hornose simply grunted. Rhoda looked down at the ornate carpeted floor, feeling like she swallowed a boulder. She wanted to face her. She really does.

But just the very memory…

Her eyes clenched shut. This is a bad idea. Look what happened when she met Jesse again! Why would she even-

Antoine gently settled her chair on the floor. Reluctantly, slowly and almost painfully, Rhoda looked up.

She gasped.

"It's been a long time," the elderly woman said.

A lot of people would expect anger. A lot of people would expect her to scream, to rage at the woman in front of her for taking a husband away.

But Rhoda could only stare. Blue and green veins crawled in the woman's liver-spotted and translucent skin. Her hair was sparse and brittling with wrinkles etched on her face. The green elegant nightgown she was wearing was stretched from her expanded tummy and drooping breasts. Her arms were thick but hanging in fat, with her fingers held stiffly, swollen in some joints.

"It's rude to stare, you know."

Rhoda blinked, feeling herself gulp. She's familiar with human aging. Seeing her human friends age was scary. The way they couldn't catch up when they could before. The way they hurt when they don't hurt there before. The way they left when they retire. And years later…

"What happened to you?" was all Rhoda could ask.

A lot of women would pay a bucktooth just to get a piece of the woman who stole their spouse. But as far as Rhoda was concerned, she never thought about Acme. Whoever was the woman who helped ruin their marriage, didn't matter. Their failed marriage is between her and Jesse, and it had been Jesse's choice to be unfaithful.

The old woman snorted. "Old age. But it's better than having a piano land on me." She glanced at Mr. Hornose and Antoine from her bed. "Well, what are you waiting for? Untie her, she's a guest."

Rhoda grimaced, looking down. What was Ms. Acme playing at?

"Then you two can leave," she heard her say.

She could feel Antoine squeeze her hand reassuringly while untying her. The door clicked close, leaving her with the now old woman.

"What do you want?" she asked tiredly.

Acme scoffed. "No righteous anger? You got every right to be."

Rhoda did not respond. If Acme was trying to snag her, it's not going to work.

"You don't have to play the sweet persona every time, you know. Do you see a camera here? No."

The rabbit didn't respond.

Acme sighed. "You're not the only one who's tired, Rhoda. Fifteen years of 'fine living' can take a toll on bodies made of clay."

The rabbit kept looking down on her oriental carpet.

"It has been fifteen years, isn't it? I know you're a dumb blonde for a redhead. But I never expect you're dumb enough to run away at a couple of photos."

That made Rhoda looked up. If she was just going to insult her, she could always leave, "Why did you brought me here?"

"Jesse."

"Jesse and I are over. You have nothing to worry about," Rhoda said, unable to keep the bite in her words.

Acme shook her head sadly. "What you see and feel isn't the only reality, you silly rabbit."

Her clawed fingers stiffly flexed and extended. "Your husband did came on to me. But not at his own will."

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, 1962**

"When your father came to my home, he was… beyond sad," Leroy said, gazing at his shoes but seeing a void in emerald eyes. "Like something was taken from him."

He shook his head. "Your father is not the most openhearted person. But at his state, he broke."

* * *

 **Acme's Manor, 1962, Day 10 in Hollywood**

"Fifteen years ago, contractors had been after my land where I let ToonTown reside. Everyone is always after their best interests, RK Maroon included."

Rhoda straightened at the name. Mrs. Maroon was a philanthropist for toons.

Acme laughed, a dry cough, more like. "You think Maroon is looking out for the toons? She may think so."

Rhoda could almost hear Mina's voice. _"You think so, rabbit? Look around you, it's always down to the money!"_

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, 1962**

Leroy took a deep breath. "Your mother was at the top of being an A-list toon star at that time. Getting commercial roles, movie roles, she was in demand! At that time, there had been talks about the land Where ToonTown was in."

Rose looked up, feeling Jack's gaze. He was frowning in question but Rose shook her head and looked back at the strange man.

"Yeah, I know about that," Baby Mina said. "But Martha Acme let the toons inherit it."

Leroy shook his head. "But the others didn't, Acme kept her will too well before. Too well, that even her friend and neighbor, RK Maroon, didn't know it."

"And what's our ex-boss got to do with this?"

Rose looked at Baby Mina. "Who's RK Maroon?"

* * *

 **Acme's Manor, 1962, Day 10 in Hollywood**

"My infatuation in your husband was infamous," Acme said, a wry smirk on her cracked lips. "And RK Maroon planned to use it against me."

Yellow gloved hands clutched the edge of her seat. She knew they're going into a very taboo subject.

"Inkwell, they call the man who fucks toons. But what about the women? Pen-peddlers perhaps?" Acme laughed. "Whatever the case, Tooniphiles cause more of a scandal than a cock in a manhole. So I flirted around the edges."

She ignored the way Rhoda wouldn't look at her. She's an old woman with sand trickling down the bottom of the hourglass, she could say whatever she wants.

"But one night, Jesse decided to accompany me after his performance. And the next and the next." She shook her head. "I was such a fool."

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, 1962**

"RK Maroon told him to get closer to Martha Acme," Leroy said, very aware of their eyes trained on him. "And threatened to fire Rhoda if he won't. Based on Rhoda's contract, her being on-demand depended on her company. So Jesse did."

Mina grimaced as Leroy looked at her pleadingly. She knew he wanted her to stop him from continuing. She glanced at Jack and Rose, not sure if this was something they should hear about their father.

"Maroon needed something to threaten Acme with. But she also needed to cover her tracks."

* * *

 **Acme's Manor, 1962, Day 10 in Hollywood**

"I really thought I was getting the happy ending," Acme said sourly. "Even at that age, I could still be so flighty. Can you blame me? There were stories before of men leaving their first wives and living happily with the next. And I got the financial statement to prove that we could."

Acme grimaced, reflecting on her own words. "It sounds ugly but it's true anyway."

"But one night, in my own factory, RK Maroon came to me and shown me pictures of Jesse and I playing patty-cake."

Acme looked ahead, folding her withered hands on her lap. "Maroon used the photos to blackmail me. But she didn't need to. I had already signed my land to the toons in my will. But I humored her just the same."

She stole a glance at the rabbit. "You know about those, didn't you?"

Rhoda didn't answer.

"Of course you do, Maroon also need to hide her tracks. She wanted to get rid of Jesse through you."

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, 1962**

"So she hired a detective," Leroy said. "The night she instructed Jesse to… stage the evidence, she also instructed a detective to investigate on him."

He ran a hand through his scraggly hair. "Your father couldn't bear to go home after… the staging. So he stayed with me. But when he finally did came back. Rhoda was gone. He told me, she left a letter saying she saw those photos."

"Maroon expected her to cut all ties from him with such solid evidence. Who would believe Jesse even if he told the truth? Maroon had always shown so much good will to toons. But instead, Rhoda left."

The twins gave each other the briefest glance, knowing the answer why.

"And Jesse stayed," Leroy continued, "Ever since then, Jesse was bent on paying Maroon back."

* * *

 **Acme's Manor, 1962, Day 10 in Hollywood**

"I knew I was crazy when homicide didn't even faze my joy," Acme said. "But when I heard that you were gone, I thought Jesse was free from you." She laughed loudly, then coughed. "But he didn't appear until a week later."

"That's when he told me everything," she continued, "But truth wasn't the only thing he told me."

 _"I know you wanted something more from me," Jesse said. "But I can't."_

 _Acme stared at him, her mouth agape._

 _"I'm sorry for leading you on. But I can only offer you friendship…" his emerald eye pierced through her soul. "And profit."_

"It turns out, Jesse is an insider of Maroon Studios. He knew of Wallace's ambition to be the head. All he needed is an opportunity." She shrugged. "What can I say? I love the game of monopoly. It took a few short years before I got Maroon Cartoon Studios. It's their job to run it and mine to own it."

Acme shifted in her pillows. "But truth be told, I don't need the extra money. I just wanted him to be close."

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, 1962**

"After becoming one of the board directors, Jesse's focus was on giving toons better opportunities." Leroy breathe, feeling a strange weight coming off of him. "Truth be told, it was a positive way of dealing with his loss. Although he might have gained enemies on the way."

He looked up determinedly. "I don't care if y'all believe me or not. But I have to find Rhoda."

The doorbell rang. Jack got up and rushed. Rose followed. Praying it's their _Maman_ , Jack opened the door.

"Oh hello, Jesse Junior," a human in a trenchcoat said. Rose blinked, recognizing her face in one of the photos in the detectives' office. "I'd like to have my picture back."

* * *

 **Acme's Manor, 1962, Day 10 in Hollywood**

"I had been such a fool," Acme said. "Fifteen years and it seems like Jesse didn't want to be with anyone else again."

She looked at the rabbit dryly. "But then you came back."

"I've been friends with Jesse for such a long time, I know when something got him even if he won't show it. I don't know what he sees in you."

Rhoda stared at her. "Why are you telling me all of this?"

Acme hacked out a laugh. "At least you understand that I'm not doing this since it's the right thing to do. I'm just doing this for him. And all this time, I thought you're too stupid to even sin."

* * *

 **Mina's Manor, 1962**

Rose's hand instantly swoop down on Jack's arm before he reacted… too much.

She blinked. "What photo?"

The detective folded her arms. "Come now, don't play innocent. I got your footprint casts out of the dust on my floor." Contrary to popular belief, Edna is a slob for good reasons.

Jack studied her. "Some footprints on the floor and you're turning on us?"

"The day someone broke into my office was the day you slugged your father," the detective said. "The photo now or I'll be forced to report you for breaking and entering."

"Proof first that we got your photo," Jack said, folding his arms this time.

"Foot prints and a coincidental circumstance aren't enough to point your fingers at us," Rose said, "And even if we do got your photo, what do you think will happen to it when you go and report us?"

The detective regarded the two.

* * *

 **Acme's Manor, 1962, Day 10 in Hollywood**

Rhoda looked down on her hands. "In all those years…"

"I had a stroke at least thrice these fifteen years. Even with a doctor and caretakers, who knows when will the next one will come?" Acme said. "When I'm gone, Jesse would still be here… and Jesse needs to be free, if not happy."

The old woman looked at her, the bitter crass she had been directing at her, gone. "Now that you know the truth, what are you going to do about it?"

"You were lonely," Rhoda simply stated. She looked at this woman. The woman that had been involved. Rich. But alone.

"This isn't about me, bozo," Acme replied impatiently.

"I..." the rabbit hesitated. She wished she could say something to make her feel better. Acme wanted a companion for life. But it seems Jesse stayed but not as she wanted.

But Rhoda wasn't in the position to ease her frustrations. Not in a situation like this.

* * *

 **Valiant and Valiant Private Investigators Office, 1962, Day 10 in Hollywood**

"I know I agreed to an exchange," Edna grumbled. "But do they also have to come along?"

"I'm their caretaker when their mom's not here, lady!" Aunt Mina growled.

"And I'm Jesse's friend," Leroy said bravely under Edna's scrutinizing glare.

Edna rolled her eyes and proceeded inside her office. "You two did a great job rooting out your father's file. But you missed a follow-up of that case."

She turned to her proudly organized file cabinet and plucked a folder out.

"Show me the photo first."

A decision was made at the twins' brief glance. Rose held up the photo, face up.

"Before we give it to you, let us inspect the folder."

Edna frowned but passed it nonetheless. It was musty from age, the typewritten ink faded, with only three papers in it.

 _August 30, 1950. Jesse Krupnik came to the office asking for the photos taken in Case #13, 1947. Mr. Krupnik also said RK Maroon set up the whole thing for blackmail against Martha Acme. Paid in full upon agreement. One kept for safekeeping._

Below it was the details of the check. Rose turned the page, lazily scribbled but the ink stronger than the last.

 _June 6, 1953, RK Maroon came in the office demanding to buy the photos of Jesse and Martha Acme. Maroon is refused._

Below it are newspaper clippings announcing Acme's takeover to Maroon Cartoon Studios, Maroon being ousted and the surprise of having the first ever toon board director, Jesse Krupnik.

 _November 12, 1953, RK Maroon came again with a higher price. Denied._

 _February 18, 1954, RK Maroon came again. Denied. Maroon made threats._

There were more notes of dates when Maroon came back but was again refused. The last one said that Maroon asked her to investigate on Jesse again but Edna refused.

Aunt Mina took it and scrutinized it herself. Behind her, Leroy read over her shoulder.

Jack glanced at Rose and he knew she was confused. Leroy and the detective are coincidentally saying the same thing at the same time.

"Mr. Hyena, do you know that woman?"

Leroy looked up, his eyes giving a once-over to the detective before looking back at him. "She's the famous toon detective."

"What about you, Miss Valiant? Do you know this guy?"

The detective looked at him questioningly before shaking her head.

Rose caught Jack look, confirming that he could sense they're telling the truth. But it wasn't enough.

"The photo now."

"Not so fast."

They turned to look at Aunt Mina. "They will return it. But nobody said when."

Rose nodded. "We thank you all for taking the time to talk. But we need to speak to our father first."

Edna's mouth formed a thin line. What else can she do?

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1962, Day 10 in Hollywood**

People shriek as a blur zoomed, billowing dust in her wake.

It was too much, it was just all too much.

She sped past the revolving doors of the high-rise tower, ignored the elevators and zoomed up to the 21st floor, pushing the door buzzer in a blink.

No answer.

She sped down again and out into the road.

 _Where could he be? Where could he be?_

The blur turned three hundred sixty degrees before turning right.

She zoomed past the singing trees and dancing flowers.

Past the dark tunnel.

And out to the human town.

Ignoring the Studios' gates, she bolted over the walls and looked determinedly at the main office.

She sprinted through the fire escape.

Her hands splayed across the glass, her feet screeching into a halt at the sight of a shocked Jesse who was looking out of his office window.

She flung the window open with the most determined but weary eyes Jesse had ever seen in her.

"Take us to your suite. Now."

* * *

 **Genderbend Movieverse, 1947**

Edna wiped her bloodied lip before manipulating the control to lower their crane. Lady Doom dead, the Toon Patrol out, and the giant Dip Machine stopped; it was time to rescue those two.

"Jinkies, Edna!" Rhoda said, leaping up to hug her as soon as Edna untied her, "For a moment I thought we're going to get buttered!"

Edna then untied Jesse next.

"Thanks," he said, dropping down on the ground.

He straightened up to find Rhoda in front of him. She looked up to him with a teary-eyed smile.

"Jesse."

Edna flinched at the sound of someone having debilitating dyspepsia or a bloody scream. Rhoda flunng herself at him and Jesse catches her around the waist just in time. She begun to thump him hard in the chest with both fists.

"Don't you ever do something that stupid again, you… you _misguided martyr_! You could have told me about Maroon! We could have done something about it together! You're a-"

That's beating him into a bloody pulp? Edna thought watching them. She decided to check the Dip Machine of Death to give them some privacy. Of course, it didn't stop her from hearing Rhoda or the pounding she's giving with every word she's saying.

"I thought you were a –I thought you have –Eaarrgh! I'm so mad at you I can divorce you right –" she makes a muffled gasp.

Edna turned around to see Jesse kissing Rhoda like there's no tomorrow. She shook her head, turning around again.

Rhoda let him kiss her before she gently pushed him away with a hand on his chest.

"You're still sleeping on the couch tonight," she said with that cute angry pout before the toons came in to the scene of the crime.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1962, Day 10 in Hollywood**

"Why did you do it?"

Jesse blinked. After driving them back to the high-rise tower, Rhoda led him on top of the building. She turned to look at him, her bunny ears swishing in the wind.

"Why were you with Acme that night in those photos?"

He bowed his head. Would she even believe him if he told her?

"RK Maroon."

He sighed. "She wanted to make sure Martha will give her land to ToonTown. Maroon knew she was my biggest fan. She told me if I won't do it, she'd fire you."

There was silence. When Jesse looked up, Rhoda was staring at him, her arms drooped uselessly at her sides along with her jaw.

"That's it?!"

Jesse nodded, there was an emotion swelling up in her, to what and whom particularly, he wasn't sure yet.

"You could have told me about that! I would have quit before I would let someone use you!"

Rhoda was all out yelling, she was red in the face. This was the passion hiding behind the sweet rabbit lady. Briefly, he saw Jack in her.

"You were in a top of your career-"

"Shut up!"

Rhoda bit her trembling lip, tears threatening to spill. "Do you think I had cared about that more than you?"

She furiously wiped off her tears with a bunny ear. "I… I wasn't there to notice. I'm so stupid. I swore you'd never be used again, Jesse… and I wasn't there… I…" She yanked both ears over her eyes, her shoulders shaking.

Large, warm hands took her by the arms and Jesse held her close. She struggled, but he stubbornly held on, before she finally gave up.

When her sobbing stopped, she firmly pushed herself off him, wrapping her arms around herself. "Why did you let yourself be used, Jesse? I don't want that to happen to you again. All this time, I thought…"

She knew of his past. He told her once, blankly, simply, like it happened to another person. To say that she had been horrified was lacking.

Maybe it has been the best that they were separated. Maybe this way, Jesse wouldn't allow himself to be used to protect others.

"You're worth more than that, can't you see it?" Rhoda asked quietly.

Jesse stared at her back that she had turned on him, her arms wrapped around herself protectively.

He looked down. "I…"

They stood there in silence. The wind filling in the gap between them.

"I'm sorry."

The wind just sighed.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1962, Day 10 in Hollywood**

"Your mother isn't here yet and we're going to force your father to talk," Aunt Mina said. "I've already called the Loony Tunes to help in the search. I'll have my chauffeur drive me all around the city to look for her." She sighed, scratching her rotund baby tummy. "Think you can handle your father?"

Rose nodded, holding the paper with their father's address on it. Jack shrugged, "Of course, we can."

Mina had no doubt that they could. They weren't cowed easily by the detective's threat. Plus, Jesse would be more loose around his children, especially Rose.

"I can just lead them there," the strange man, Leroy said. "I called his office. His secretary said, he's not available in Acme Studios right now."

"Sure you can tag along," Aunt Mina replied. "But if they got so much as scratch, believe me, I can make you uglier."

Leroy just looked at her dryly, as though he got that all the time.

* * *

 **ToonTown, 1962, Day 10 in Hollywood**

It seemed like hours had passed when Rhoda broke the silence.

"I could have confronted you about those photos before."

Jesse looked up, not sure if she had spoken.

"Maybe if I had, none of this would happen," she said, waving her hand to an invisible set of past events. "But I have to."

He remained silent, letting her speak.

"When I found out I was pregnant, it was the same night I saw those photos."

She looked up at the pink sky.

"Did you know that real-life rabbits mate for life?" Her finger reached out for her bunny ear cocked up on her head. "Turns out, we were also drawn that way."

"If I stayed in ToonTown, I'd end up like those rabbits with failed marriages: obsessed, desperate and mad enough to do the unspeakable."

Her legs curled to herself and she hugged her knees. "I would have risked it if I wasn't pregnant… But with Jack and Rose… they needed me more than I needed an explanation."

Rabbits mate for life? Does that mean… Jesse inwardly shook his head. He didn't dare ask.

They stayed there, a gap still in between, with only the wind as their other company.

"Now what?" Rhoda asked in no one in particular.

The door that lead downstairs slammed open.

" _Maman!_ "

There was a blur before Rhoda collided unto Rose, hugging her tight. Then Jack scooped them up into a fierce hug, laughing in relief.

"Leroy?" Jesse said in surprise, seeing his friend follow after.

The ugly man smiled sheepishly. "I knew I'd find you here." He cleared his throat; looking at him, at them. At the reunited family.

"I'll... I'll wait downstairs."

* * *

"I'm so sorry you have to find it all like this! I'm such a terrible mother!" Rhoda cried, tears… as well as snot… gushing out.

Jesse silently lend her his hanky, unperturbed by the bodily fluids, while the twins comforted her.

They had talked for hours. Maroon, Acme, Valiant, the photos. The sun had set and the bags under _Maman's_ eyes were growing darker from exhaustion.

" _Maman,_ you need to rest," Rose said, rubbing her back.

Rhoda blew her nose with a trumpet blast of an elephant.

"No Rose, there's one last thing to do."

* * *

 **Valiant and Valiant Private Investigators Office, 1962, Day 10 in Hollywood**

"Rhoda Rabbit, been a long time," the detective said, opening her door.

"I'm here to bring back the photo," the rabbit said, stepping in before Edna could say anything. She paused.

"Jack, Rose. I told you to wait outside with your father," she called out.

Edna could only roll her eyes when Jack dropped down the ceiling with Rose on his back.

"Sorry," Rose said quietly.

Rhoda regarded them with a tired smile. "Come in, anyway. I know you two are going to try to pry."

"All I want is what's mine," Edna muttered, closing the door. "Where is it?"

"This belongs to you." Rhoda held up the photo.

And she flicked open a lighter.

Jack and Rose's breathe hitched. Ever since they told _Maman_ of the exchange, this was not what they were expecting.

But the detective leaned back, unimpressed. "Really? You could use that to divorce him, you know."

The twins froze, bracing themselves. She was right. After everything that had happened. Too much damage had been done already.

The detective peered at their mother's face, asking the question resonating in their heads. "Do you still want to?"

"I don't know," Rhoda simply said. "But this photo has done enough."

With that she set it on fire and threw it in the bin.

Jack and Rose tensed, wondering what the legendary detective would do next. But the detective simply snorted.

"That's that. Now excuse me while I make my report."

She showed them to the door.

"That's it?" Jack blurted. This crazy lady just went through all the trouble just to let it go like that?

Rose frowned at her in suspicion.

The detective scowled at them impatiently. "No one steals from the detective. At least I know what happened to it. Now out! I don't take toon cases anymore."

Jack resisted the urge to stick his tongue at her as they filed out.

"Oh and Rhoda?"

Rhoda looked back. Edna hesitated. The rabbit might have forgotten already but Edna doesn't forget an act of kindness.

Even if it was fifteen years ago.

"Thank you," she said, before shutting the door.

* * *

Jesse and Leroy waited by the car, outside the office building. Footsteps were heard and they turned around.

"What happened to Rhoda?" Leroy asked anxiously.

Jack was carrying their mother as she snore softly against his chest.

"I think everything took a toll on her," Rose said quietly, feeling their mother's forehead. She caught Jack's eye. When _Maman's_ exhausted, they have a standard routine: take charge.

"I'll look for a pay phone," Rose said, already striding away.

"Hey wait! A lady shouldn't be alone at this time of night!" Leroy said worriedly, following her.

"Wait-" Jack began to step forward too, but then remembered he got _Maman_ in his arms.

There was an awkward silence as he realized he was left alone with the man he punched across the face.

The man who was his... father.

He turned around, unable to look at his... father in the eye.

"I-I can find Aunt Mina and the others by travelling on top of those buildings," he said. " _Maman... Maman_ needs to rest."

His father. He looked up as though finally seeing him for the first time.

"I..." he sighed, "I try to look after them but I'm not always enough." His jaw tightened, refusing to tear. Damn, he was tearing. Alright, he wouldn't let one drop.

"I get it. The desire to do anything. _Anything._ " He looked up to his father's eyes again. "For her. For them."

Jesse said nothing but Jack knew he understood what he was trying to say.

"I'm sorry, too. Jack," he said softly.

He watched his son's mouth tightened.

Jack straightened up, inhaling. "I'll be going now."

Slowly, carefully, as though he was giving Jesse his mother in more ways than one, he placed Rhoda in their father's arms.

"Take care of her."

 **End of Chapter 6, Part 2**


	9. Epilogue: A Redemption to Recover

"So what's going to happen now?" Jack asked.

They were perched on the roof of the manor, hidden by some of the raised structures of the roof.

Rose shook her head. " _Maman_ said her and Papa would talk some more and see where it will lead to," she replied.

They watched the figures of a white rabbit and a humanoid in red, sitting in Aunt Mina's backyard, just next to the pool.

Jack looked down, tugging one of his bunny ears. "Who knew there would be another truth?

Rose could only look sympathetically at him. It had been a week and more, since they found their parents on top of the high-rise tower and that was when the talk began. Their _Maman's_ nature, their father's sacrifice-

Jack had been affected more. He had always been devoted to _Maman._ But the fact that their father took it in a darker level...

It had really been a mess. It was a miracle that their parents might get back together.

"It's different now," she said reassuringly. She was able to rebuild her relationship with their father. Jack was still slowly getting there.

They all got to thank Leroy, Martha Ackme and even the detective who simply wants what was hers back. Who knew what would happen if they continue with their lives, believing their father was-

She shook her head.

"I couldn't believe Edna Valiant wasn't even mad," Jack said with a laugh. .

"But she did get annoyed when you were very surprised that she was getting married," Rose replied, remembering the slapping sound when the detective handed Jack the invitation –on his head.

They laughed but then ducked when they saw their _Maman_ swivel her head to their direction.

There was suddenly a very pissed scream followed by another scream –of fright this time. They craned their necks to see Leroy ran out in the open, only to be hit by a flying mallet.

Both mallet and Leroy fell into the pool with a splash.

"And shut up!" They could hear Aunt Mina yelled.

They both muffled with laughter. Despite being the ugliest toon in town, Leroy was nice and truthfully sweet. A guy with always something good to say about something or someone.

"I guess Aunt Mina isn't used to hearing nice things being said about her," Rose whispered.

"Hein?" Jack shook his head. "I don't get it, _Maman_ always tell her how great a friend she is."

Rose only smiled as though she was the only one getting the joke, before laughing some more.

Jack scowled. " _C'est n'importe quoi_! It can't be that! Aunt Mina's a tough cookie who needs no man!"

She shook her head. "I'm just kidding, Jack."

He shooed the thought away, shuddering. "Anyway, there is no way we would be staying here. We would need to go back to France before summer ends. What's gonna happen after that?"

"I don't know," Rose admitted, "But look."

Jack followed what she was pointing. Their parents were still far away. But this time, they were laughing –together.

They fell silent, remembering what _Maman_ always say. Laughter is a very powerful thing.

"It's a start."

Jack gave his sister a smirk. "A re-start."

"You know, they can always use a bit of help," Rose said, looking at their parents.

Jack grinned, reading her mind.

"So what are we going to do about it?"

 **THE END.**

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** First of all, I would like to apologized to everybody who gave their love for this story when it was still in the "Aftermath" Fanfic. Ever since I have revised it, it doesn't seem to fit as an extension story anymore and had it have it's own place. I'm really sorry if you got disappointed that this isn't a new fanfic :(


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